LIBRARY 

Jlheolociicul  Jr  inhume 

PRINCETON ,  N.^L 
XT  r'  Division  Jz 

No.  Case, - iV-Tt"" :  u 

No.  Shelf,  _cieG-ic-__ry/_-r _______ 

No.  Book _ - 


From  the  Rev.  W.  B.  SPRAGUE,  D.D.  Sept.  1839. 


jSp'i  ague  Collection .  FoZ.  n 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
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https://archive.org/details/treatiseonregeneOOmast 


Dr.  VanMaftricht, 


o  N 


REGENERATION: 


s- 


s 


* 


7)'  / 


I 


Regeneration. 


By  VETER  VAN  MASTRICHT,  D.D. 

Profefforof  Divinity  in  the  Univerfities  of  Francfqrt, 
Duisburgh,  and  Utrecht. 


Extradted  from  his  Syftem  of  Divinity,  called  The- 
ologia  theoretico-pradtica  ;  and  faithfully  tranf- 
lated  into  Englifh  j  With  an  APPENDIX, 
containing  Extracts  from  many  celebrated  Di¬ 
vines  ot  the  reformed  Church,  upon  the  fame 
Subjedh 


NEW-HAVEN: 

Printed  and  Sold  by  Thomas  and  Samuel 
Green,  in  the  Old-CouncU-Chamber. 


I 


*\  ?  n  '  n  • 


% 


0 


THE  reader  will  perhaps  be  defirous  to  know,  who 
thisDodt.  Van  Majiricht  is,  and  what  the  particu¬ 
lar  reafons  are,  for  publishing  the  following  Treatife  at 
this  time.  The  Publifher  will  endeavour,  in  brief  to 
fatisfy  the  reader  in  both. 

Peter  Van  Majiricht,  author  of  the  following  Treatife  ; 
was  born  in  the  year  1630,  in  the  city  of  Cologn ,  in  Ger¬ 
many,  of  honorable  parentage,  many  of  whole  anceftors 
bad  been  confideraole  fuffcrers  in  the  proteffant  caufe. 
He  was  educated  in  the  univerfity  of  Utrecht  was  feve- 
ral  years  a  preacher,  in  various  parts  of  Germany  and  Den¬ 
mark  ;  was  invited  to  fettle  in  Copenhagen ,  capital  of  the 
latter:  But  was  prevailed  upon  by  the  Eleftor  of  Bran¬ 
denburg,  (grand-father,  or  great-grand-fatker  to  the  pre- 
fent  king  of  Prujfia )  to  accept  the  place  of  profefifor  of 
Hebrew  and  practical  divinity,  in  his  new  eftabliffied 
univerfity  at  Francfort.  He  afterwards  ferved  in  the 
fame  ffation  at  Duijburg,  near  his  native  place-,  and  the 
lad  thirty  years  of  his  life,  he  fudained  the  fame  office  in 
the  famous  univerfity  of  Utrecht,  the  place  of  his  edu¬ 
cation.  He  was  greatly  efteem’d  as  a  mod  accurate, 
judicious,  learned  and  pious  divine.  He  died  in  this 
office  near  eighty  years  of  age.  Hisfyftem  of  divinity, 
from  whence  the  following  Treatife  is  extracted,  is  the 
product  of  a  long  life,  fpent  in  the  (ludy,  practice  and 
initr  udtion  of  divinity. 

The  realon  for  tranflating  and  publishing  the  follow¬ 
ing  Treatife  at  this  time,  is  principally  a  hope,  that  it 
may  have  a  tendency  to  put  a  flop  to  the  controverfy, 
which  feems  to  be  growing  among  us,,  relative  to  ^ge¬ 
neration. 


(  v*  ) 

iteration  ^Whether  it  be  wrought  by  the  immediate  in¬ 
fluences  of  the  divine  Spirit,  or  by  light  as  the  means  ? 
and  happily  to  unite  us  in  the  truth.  The  tranflatur  is 
encouraged  thus  to  hope,  from  the  following  confederati¬ 
ons,  •-  — 

1.  He  hath  frequently  heard  gentlemen,  who  main¬ 
tain  oppofite  fides  ot  this  queftion,  manifeft  their  entire 
approbation  of,  and  concurrence  with  Van  Madricht  ; 
which  induces  him  to  think,  that  with  many,  the  con-  ; 
froverly  is  more  about  terms  than  any  thing  elfe  ;  and 
that  when  they  find,  they  both  can  agree  with  VanMaJl - 
ricbt ,  they  will  be  lead  lb  to  explain  themfelves,  as  to 
agree  with  each  other. 

2.  As  our  Author  cannot  be  looked  upon  as  partial  ! 
sn  favour  of  any  particular  fyftem  of  doctrines  prevail¬ 
ing  amongft  us ;  ’tis  hoped  and  expected  that  all  will 
read  him  without  prejudice  or  partiality. 

3.  The  great  character  which  our  author  fuftains,  for 
which  we  have  the  ample  teftimony  of  Dr  .Cotton  Mather , 
(whole  name  hath  always  been  much  refpe&ed  in  the 
churches  of  New -England)  in  the  following  words,  J 
**  There  is  nothing  that  I  can  with  io  much  pleropho- 
44  rie  recommend  unto  you,  as  a  Majlricht ,  his  Theologia 
“  tbeorctico-prablica .  That  a  minilter  of  the  golpel  may 
44  be  thoroughly  furnifhed  unto  every  good  work,  and 
44  in  one  or  two  quarto  volumns  enjoy  a  well  furnifhed 
“  library  ;  I  know  not  that  the  fun  has  ever  fhone  up- 
44  on  an  human^compofure  that  is  equal  to  it  ;  and  I 
44  can  heartily  fublcribe  unto  the  commendation  which 
44  Pontamts,  in  his  Laudatio  Funebris  upon  the  author  has 
44  given  ot  it.  De  hoc  opere  confidents  affirmo,  quod  to  or • 

41  dine  fit  digefiunty  tanto  rerum  ponder  e  pregnant  et  tumidun\  \ 
44  tanta  et  tam  vana  eruditione  refer  turn  ;  ut  nefcio  an  in  ill* 
y  genere  uJquamGtniium  exfiet  aliquid  magis  ac  cur  at  urn  et  ela - 

44  boratum .  | 

x  , 

X  Dr.  Mather's  directions  fer  a  Candidate  of  the  miniilry.  P.  S5. 


(  vii  ) 

•*  boratum.  *f-  I  Hope  you  will,  next  unto  the  facred 
**  feriptures,  make  a  Maftriebt  the  ftcrebqufe  to  whick 
**  you  may  refort  continually.  But  above  all  things  re- 
“  member  the  dying  words  of  this  true  Divine  ;  which 
**  he  uttered  aliijfma  voce  ( with  a  loud  voice,  and  I  wife 
4t  all  that  fludy  divinity  might  hear  it  \)  Se  null o  loco  eS 

numero  habere  veritatis  dejenfionem ,  quam  fencer  a  pittas 
4<  et  vitee  JanElitas,  individuo  nexu  non  comitetur”  *  The 
charader,  I  fay,  of  our  Author,  and  his  profdTcdly  de¬ 
livering  upon  this  point  the  general  fentiment  of  the 
whole  reformed  church  abroad,  it  is  hoped,  will  weigh 
fo  much,  in  the  mind  of  every  one,  as  to  obtain  a  candid 
examination  of  his  fentiments,  before  they  rejed  them. 

4.  Our  Author’s  arguments  are  exceeding  plain, 
fcriptural,  and  convidive.  There  is  nothing  liable  to 
the  imputation  of  metaphyfical  nicety  and  fubtilty.  So 
far  from  it  that  his  Contemporaries,  who  oppofed  his 
dodrines,  “  accufcd  him  of  not  allowing  reafon  its  pro¬ 
per  place  ;  but  of  dethroning  it  thro’  pretence  of  religi¬ 
on.”  ’Tis  therefore  to  be  hoped,  that  many  who  have 
oppofed  the  fentiments  which  our  Author  maintains, 
from  a  notion  of  their  being  metaphyfical  fubtilties,  will 
by  his  plain,  fcriptural  arguments,  be  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  them. 

5.  Many,  ’tis  to  be  feared,  are  prejudiced  againft  the 
dodrine  which  our  Author  endeavours  to  eftablife  in 
the  following  Treatife,  from  a  notion  that  it  is  new  and 
unheard  of  in  the  Chriftian  Church.  The  following 

Treatife, 

f  In  EngliCb  thus.  Of  this  work  (i.  e  bis  fvftcaa  ©f  divinity)  I 
confidently  affirm,  that  it  it  difpofed  in  that  order,  abounds  in  hi«» 
weighty  matter,  and  is  filled  with  fuch  a  copied  variety  of  learning, 
that  I  know  not  whether  the  world  can  afford  any  thing  of  th«  kind, 
better  ftudied,  and  more  accurate  than  this. 

*  Thst  he  hath  no  opinion  of  any  defence  of  the  trieth,  which 
Sneer©  piety  and  holincls  el  life  doth  net  infejetsbly  accompany. 


(  viii  ) 

Treatife,  it  is  hoped,  will  entirely  remove  this  groundlefs 

objection.  \ 

But  if  this  little  Treatife  fhould  not  prove  fo  fucceff-  ! 
ful,  as  to  reconcile  our  differences  upon  this  point,  it  will 
at  lead  lerve  this  purpofe,  to  enable  thofe,  who  have  not 
opportunity,  to  look  into  antient  authors  on  this  fub- 
je£t,  to  judge  in  fome  meafure  what  the  fentiments  of 
the  Reformed  Church  have  been  upon  this  important 
point. 

Thefe  confiderations  induce  the  Translator  ftronglyj 
to  hope,  that  this  publication  may  be  of  happy  fervice,  ■ 
at  the  prefentday.  Should  it  in  any  meafure  contribute 
to  the  promoting  and  maintaining  of  truth,  the  Trans¬ 
lator  will  think  himfelf  amply  rewarded  for  his  trouble,  j 

The  Tranflator  begs  the  candour  of  the  Reader,  with 
regard  to  the  many  inelegancies  offtile,  which,  he  is  ap- 
prehenfive,  the  critical  reader  will  difcover  in  the  fol¬ 
lowing  pages.  Our  Author’s  manner  of  writing  is  laco¬ 
nic,  with  very  little  decoration  or  ornament.  A  tranf- 
lation,  in  any  meafure  literal,  mud  refemble  the  genius 
©f  the  original  :  And  many  Idioms  of  the  original  lan¬ 
guage  will  be  apt  infendbly  to  Aide  into  the  trar.flation.’ 
The  Tranflator  had  rather  forego  any  ornaments  of  ftile, 
which  the  work  might  receive  from  a  more  free  tranfla- 
tion,  than  thereby  endanger  himfelf  to  mifreprefent  the 
fenfe  of  our  Author.  He  hopes  the  Tranflation  judly 
reprefents  the  Author’s  fentiments,  which  he  looks  upon 
the  principal  thing  j  and  therefore  perfuades  himfelf, 
that  any  little  inaccuracies  of  exprefiion,  will  be  kindly! 
overlooked  by  the  benevolent  reader. 


ON 


ON  REGENERATION, 


JOHN  iii.  5. 


Verily ,  ‘verily  I  fay  unto  thee,  except  a  man  be 
born  of  Water ,  and  of  the  Spirit ,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  Kingdom  of  God , 

I.  TT  AVING  in  a  former  treadle  difcourled  upon  The  felon! 

JLJL  the  adt  of  application,  in  which  the  holy  ad  of  appli- 
Spirit  offers  to  thofe  who  are  to  be  faved,  for  their  re-  canon  *s 
ception,  the  Redeemer  and  Redemption.  I  come  now  £er‘erasi0£l; 
to  difcourfe  upon  the  fecond ,  in  which  he  bedews  upon 
them  that  power ,  by  which  they  are  enabled  to  receive 
the  offered  benefits  •,  which  is  done  by  regeneration ,  the 
necefiityof  which  our  Saviour  holds  forth  in  the 
words  above  mentioned. 

The  explanatory  part. 

II.  Thefe  words  contain  a  weighty,  powerful  after-  The  text  ex* 
tion  of  our  Saviour,  concerning  the  necefftty  of  regene-  plained. 
Nation.  In  which  we  may  note, 

1.  The  per fon  offer  ting.  /fay  unto  you  *,  /whom 
juft  now  you  faluted  by  the  title  of  Rabbit  or  Marten, 
a.  rriafter  fent  froin  God,  of  which  you  have  been  con- 

B  vinced 


io 

*  Ver*  2. 
b  Ifa.  65. 
c  John  14, 
d  Titus  1 
Heb.  6. 

*  John  8. 

f  John  3. 


*  Num.5. 
Deut.  27. 
i  Cor. 14. 


fe2Cor.  1. 


*If.  65.  i 
*  Rev.  3: 


On  "Regeneration . 

vlnced  by  fo  many  miracles ;  *  7,  who  am  the  Amen, 
or  the  God  of  truth  ;  b  yea,  the  truth  itfelf,  c  which 
.2!  cannot  either  deceive  or  be  deceived  ;  d  whom  there - 
18.  fore  you  may  iafely  believe,  do  affert ,  tefiify  and  declare 
*4*  e  unto  you,  and  not  only  to  you,  but  to  the  whole  na¬ 
tion  ;  yea,  and  to  all  generations  which  lhall  exift  in 
7*  future  ages.  f 

2.  The  manner  of  afertion,  amen,  amen,  verily ,  verily. 
The  word  amen  is  of  Hebrew  derivation,  from  the 
root,  aman  (to  be  liable  or  firm)  which  is  retained  in 
the  Greek,  Syriac,  Arabic,  and  all  the  Latin  vcr- 
fions  ;  and  alio  in  the  vulgar  languages.  It  is  an 
adverb  of  afjerting  \  that  is  verily ,  certainly ,  or  the  thing 
is  fo,  or  this  is  the  truth.  Aquila  renders  it,  bv  faith¬ 
fully  -,  the  Seventy  by,  fo  he  it,  but  fometimes  retain 
the  word  amen.  It  is  uled  either  to  confirm  what  hath 
12-  been  already  fpoken,  g  or  to  affirm  what  is  now  to  be 
jg  laid.  The  firft  ufe  is  mofl  frequent  in  the  old  tefta- 
’  ment,  the  latter  in  the  new.  It  is  a  particle  ufed  for 
confirmation,  and  is  rendered  either  by  verily  or  fo  he 
it :  in  the  firft  fenfe  it  is  ufed  in  confirmation  of  fome- 
thing  affirmed,  in  the  latter,  in  confirmation  of  fome- 
thing  wifhed  or  defined.  If  the  fentence  be  an  informa¬ 
tive  affertion ,  the  word  means  verily  or  truly  •,  but  if  0- 
ptative  cr  intreative,  the  meaning  is,  fo  be  it.  The 
particle  nai  comprehends  both  fignifications  as  it  is 
fometimes  offertory ,  fometimes  expreffive  of  vehement 
defire,  Hence  Luke  ufeth  the  word  nai  (yeaj  for  a- 
1 7*  men.  The  apoftle  Paul  connects  them  together,  hyea 
and  amen  *,  that  one  might  emphatically  explain  the’ 
other.  Our  Saviour  repeats  the  word  amen  (verily) 
perhaps  indifferent  fenfes,  fo  that  the  firft  may  fignify 
16.  himfelf,  I  the  amen,  the  God  of  truth  ;  1  as  it  is  laid 
j4#  thefe  things  faith  the  Amen,  the  faithful  &  true  Witnefsf 
The  latter  may  fignify  the  truth  of  the  thing  afferted. 
So  that  the  meaning  of  the  exprefTion  may  be  this,  I 
the  God  of  truth  declare  the  truth  unto  you.  It  may 

alfa 


On  'Regeneration.  t  r 

alfo  be  defigned  to  confirm  and  ftrengthen  the  truth 
cf  his  paradox  concerning  the  abfolute  neceffity  of 
regeneration,  and  the  more  powerfully  to  beget  in 
Nicodemus  a  belief  of  the  dodrine  ;  I,  the  Mader 
fent  from  God,  verily  fay  unto  you,  and  that  repeated¬ 
ly.  There  are  feme  who  think  the  repetition  of  the 
word  denotes,  not  a  fimple  affirmation  ;  but  an  oathr 
and  that  it  is  the  fame  in  fenfe  with  the  expreffion,  as 
1  live  faith  the  Lord,  in  the  old  teftament,  as  the  Chal¬ 
dee  verfion,  for  this  expreffion,  hath,  as  I  am  conftant , 

(fable,  firm,  or  as  I  am  the  amen ,  theGod  oftruth.  But 
it  doth  not  appear  to  me  confident,  that  one  who  fo 
feverely  cenfures  a  rafh,  oath,  1  ffiould  fo  frequently  'Mat.  5.  33, 
fwear  himfelf;  for  it  is  laid  that  this  expreffion  is  34- 
ufed  fifty  times  by  our  Saviour.  However,  we  may 
at  lead  confider  it  as  &  forcible  manner  of  e:cpreffioh, 
or  as  the  Hebrews  fay,  as  a  corroboration  of  his  words , 
admirably  fuited  to  this  paradox  of  the  abiblute  necef¬ 
fity  of  regeneration. 

3.  The  thing  averted,  with  regard  to  which  we  may 
note, 

( i)  The  fubjed,  regeneration ,  or  the  new-birth,  “ex* 
cept  a  man  be  born,”  the  fame  thing  in  ver.  2,  is 
expreded  by  being  born  again ,  or  from  above.  The 
word  anothen  rendered  again ,  fignifies  fometimes,  a- 
gain,  or  ihefecond  time  ;  thus  Nicodemus  feems  to 
have  underdood  it :  m  in  which  fenfe  it  occurs,  Gal.  «  Ver. 

4.  g>  And  thus  Syrits  and  Nonnus  render  it  in  this 

place.  The  apodle  Peter  ufeth  the  word  anagenethenai 

to  be  born  again.  n  In  other  places  the  word  fignifies 

from  above ,  or  from  heaven. 0  Which  it  Items  our  Savi-  Wer-jr.Joh. 

our  defigned  to  intimate,  by  explaining  che  word  ano- 

then  ufed  in  verfe  3,  by  the  expreffion  of  water  and  f^1'  dfl 

of  the  fpirit ,  in  verfe  5,  or  to  be  born  fpiritually  and 

from  above,  that  is  from  heaven.  What  if  we  ffiould 

conned  thefe  two  fenfes  together,  as  one  is  fubordinate 

to  the  other :  fo  that  to  be  born  anothen  fignifies  both 

to 

\  • 


ju 


»i  Cor.j.iy 
Gal.  6.  15. 
Rev.  2i.  5 


Luke  1. 


35 


On  Regeneration . 

to  be  boFn  from  above,  that  is  fpiritually  and  from 
heaven  v  and  alfo  again,  or  the  fecond  time  ?  fincc 
that  being  born,  which  is  from  above,  or  of  the  Spirit, 
is  a  fecond  birth,  as  it  follows  the  fir  ft  and  natural 
birth,  which  is  after  the  flefh..  “ Except  a  man  be  born, 
again,”  our  Saviour  calleth  it  a  birth  or  being  born,  to 
denote  the  univerfal  amendment  or  renovation  of  man 
thereby  :  he  intimates  the  neceflity  of  a  renovation, 
not  of  this  or  that  particular  part  or  faculty,  but  a  to* 
tal  renovation  of  the  whole  man,  which  is  a  new  or 
fecond  birth,  whereby  he  becomes  a  nnv  man,  a  new. 
creature,  and  walks  in  newntfs  of  lift. p  Of  which  more 
under  the  doctrinal  part. 

(2  )  The  origin  of  regeneration,  {C  of  water  and  the 
fpirit .”  The  particie  ek  rendered  of,  as  is  plain  from 
fubjedt,  denotes  in  this  place,  not  the  material,  but 
tRom.  11.36.  the  efficient  caufe,  as  it  doth  in  many  other  places  ;  \ 
fince  neither  water  nor  fpirit  are  the  matter  out  of 
which  a  fpiritual  regeneration  is  effected.  Water  and 
fpirit,  fome  confider  as  two  different  things  •,  fo'  that 
by  water  they  underftand  th t  infir umental,  and  by  fpi¬ 
rit,  the  principal  caufe,  becaufe  (as  they  fuppofe)  the 
fpirit,  by  water,  effects  regeneration.  But  they  who 
are  of  thu  opinion  are  divided  ;  fome  by  water  under- 
ftand  the  Jewifli  baptiims  or  wafnings,  with  which, 
the  jews,  more  especially  the  Pharifres,  were  wopt  to 
walh  their  profelytes,  before  their  admiffion  into  the 
J.ewifh  church;  likewile  their  own  hands,  clothes, 
meat  and  even  their  bodies,  of  which  mention  is  made 
1  in  various  places  of  the  new  teftament ; r  to  thefe, 
our  Nicodemus,  as  he  was  aPharifee,  mult  have  been 
accuftomed.  Others  by  water  here,  underftand  the 
facramental  water  of  baptifm,  by  which  they  fuppofe 
the  Spirit  effedts  regeneration.  And  here  again  fome 
fuppofe  the  baptifrnal  water  to  be  direflly  intended,  as 
moftof  the  Fathers  others,  only  b.y  way  of  allufion. 
Others  more  rightly  underftand  but  pne  thing  expref- 

feds 


••'  Mark  7.  1 
Heb.  9.  10 
Mirk  7.  4. 


On  Regeneration,  23 

fed  by  two  terms,  as  the  water  of  the  Spirit,  or  Spiri¬ 
tual  water,  or  rather  the  Spirit  having  the  properties 
of  water,  which  like  water  cieanleth  in  regeneration. 

For  our  Saviour  doth  not  mean  to  lead  Nicodemus  to 
receive  the  facrament  of  baptifrn,  (which  at  that  time 
was  not  inffituted,  at  lead;  as  an  ordinary,  univerfal 
facrament  •,)  but  to  ieek  the  regeneration  of  the  Holy 
Ghoft.  8  “He  faved  us  by  the  wafhing  of  regenerati-  *  Tit.  3.  5. 
on  :**  wherefore  in  the  continuation  of  this  difcourfe, 
our  Saviour  makes  no  further  mention  of  water,  but 
only  of.  the  Spirit.  *.  I  need  not  obferve  that  by  Spirit  1  Ver.  6,  .7,8. 
here,  is  to  be  underftood  th.e  third  perfon  in  the  facred 
Trinity,  with  relation  to  the  work  of  fpiritual  purifica¬ 
tion ,  which  is  effected  by  regeneration  and  renovation.18  ®  Tin  3.  5. 

($J  The  necejfity  of  this  regeneration,  with  regard 
to  which,  may  be  obferved, 

[1]  The  manner  in  which  both  the  neceffity,  and 
univerfa'lity  of  it  are  expreffed,  “except  a  man  be  born.” 

A  man,  that  is,  every  man,  which  extends  the  neceffity 
to  all  and  every  one ,  fo  that  not  one  individual  can  be 
excepted  from  this  neceffity.  However  lei’s  is  ex¬ 
preffed  by  this  form  of  fpeech,  than  is  intended.  It 
means  not  only  that  no  one  can  be  faved  without  this 
regeneration  •,  but  that  all  the  regenerate  fhall  be  fav- 
ved.  Not  that  regeneration  (at  leaf!;  in  it’s  limited 
fenfe)  is  the  only  thing  required  unto  falvation;  fince 
befides  this ,converfion,  fandtifkation,  8$c.  are  neceffary, 
in  which  the  power ,  bellowed  in  regeneration,  may  be 
drawn  forth  into  the  actual  exercifes  of  faith  and  re¬ 
pentance  :  but  that  all  and  every  one,  who  is  rege¬ 
nerated,  will  alfo  be  brought  to  csnverfton ,  fan&ifka- 
tion,  faith  and  repentance,  and  fo  tofalvation. 

[2]  The  uje ,  or  the  purpofe  to  which  regeneration  is 
fubfervient,  viz.  “  entering  into  the  kingacm  of  God.”' 

The  kingdom  of  God  here  fignifks  both  the  kingdom  of 

grace  upon  earth,  or  the  church,  w  that  the  perfon  re-  w  % 

generated  may  become  a  true  and  living  member  Coi.  4. 1 

thereof  , 


14  On  Regeneration.  tli 

and^6'1^  hereof 5  an<3  a^°  t^ie  kingdom  of  glory  in  heaven  ;  *  j  f 
*l3LukeS.4io.  .W*C^  ^ings  which  pertain  to  both  thefe  kingdoms,*  j u 
i.  e.  all  fpiritual  bleflings.  jt 

[3  |  The  poffeffion  and  enjoyment  of  this  kingdom.  >  d 
liHe  cannot  enter  thereinto.  Ver.  3.  “He  cannot  fee  the  1 
kingdom  of  God.”  Here  regeneration  is  extended  to  the  1 
power,  “he  cannot ,  ”  the  reafon  of  which  is  given  in  the  1 
following  verfe,  '■'■'That,  which  is  horn  of  theflejh,  that  2 
is  by  natural  generation,  is flejh,  or  carnal, .defiled  with  j  ; 
iin  ;  and  that,  which  is  born  of  the  fpirit,  is  Ipirit,  or  ( 
fpiritual  and  faving.  For  regeneration,  ftridtly  fo  cal-  '  1 
»Eph.2.  2.  5.  ed,  finds  man  fpiritually  dead,  *  into  whom  it  infufeth  j  ' 
the  firft  aft,  or  principle  of  the  fpiritual  life \  by  which 
he  hath  a  power  or  ability  to  perform  fpiritual  exer-  * 
cifes.  Therefore,  without  this,  he  can  neither  fee  the  j 
kingdom  of  God,  that  is  mentally,  as  he  is  blind,  “  He 
ptreeiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Jpirit  of  God  :  jor  they  are 
foolijhnefs  unto  him,  neither  can  he  know  them ,  becaufe  they  | 

1  Cor.214.  are  fpiritually  difeerned b  Nor  if  he  could  fee ,  could  ho1 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  “he  is  not  juhjefi  to 

*  Rom.  8.  7-  the  law  of  God,”  neither  indeed  can  he  ;  c  who  alfo  “of  ! 

*  2  Cor.  3.5.  himfelf  is  not  fufficient  to  think  any  thing  fpiritually  good ”  * 

Who  therefore  Hands  in  abfolute  need  of  illumination 
by  regeneration,  in  order  to  his  feeing  the  kingdom  of  1 
heaven,  and  of  a  renovation  of  his  will,  in  order  to  his  1 
willing  to  enter  into  it.  Which  power  is  after¬ 
wards  excited  in  the  exercifes  of  faith  and  repentance, 
in  converfion  and  fanclification,  whereby  he  fees  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  at  the  fame  time  enters  into  the 
fame. 


That  befides 
the  external 
call,  regene¬ 
ration  is  alfo 
neceflary  to 
the  applicati¬ 
on  ofredemp- 
tion.which  is 
proved  by  the 
fcriptures1 


The  Doctrinal  Part. 

III.  It  is  not  fufficient  to  the  application  of  re¬ 
demption,  or  a  participation  therein,  that  the  Re*- 
deemerandthe  redemption  purchafcd  by  him,  be  of¬ 
fered,  by  the  external  call  of  the  gofpel,  to  thofe  who 
are  to  be  faved,  for  their  reception,  unlefs  that  pow¬ 
er  be  beftowed  upon  them,  by  regeneration,  by  which 

they 


On  Regeneration'.  *5 

they  may  be  enabled  to  receive  the  offered  benefits.' 

For  the  Redeemer  himfelf  exprefsly  denies  that  any 
one,  without  regeneration,  can  either  fee  fpiritual  ob¬ 
jects,  or  approach  them,  by  entering  into  the  king¬ 
dom  of  God.  Hence  faith,  by  which  alone  Chrift  is 
applied  to  us,  and  we  made  partakers  of  his  redemp¬ 
tion,  is  aferibed  only  to  thofe  who  are  born  of  God.  0  ®Johni. 12,13 
And  the  apoftle  is  even  more  exprefs  than  this,  who, 
after  that  he  had  taught  that  the  kindnefs  of  God  our 
Saviour  had  appeared  unto  men,  viz.  By  the  externa!  call 
of  the  golpel,  adds,  that  he  faved  them,  that  is  ap¬ 
plied  to  them  the  kindnefs  or  redemption  of  the  Savi¬ 
or,  by  the  walking  of  regeneration,  and  the  renewing  ef  Tt.  3.4, 
the  Holy  Ghofi.  f  The  fame  thing  is  held  forth  in  all 
thofe  texts  of  feripture,  which  aferibe  our  partaking  of  h  Deut.30. 6, 
Chrift’s  redemption,  or  our  falvation,  ( 1 )  In  exprefs  Rom-  2.  29. 
terms  to  regeneration ,  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  fjf1 ' 2' 

Ghoft  :g  (2)  To  circumcifon  of  the  heart :  h  (3J  to  theanje,  ',^  ° 

taking  away  of  the  heart  of  ftone,  and  the  putting  with-  Jer.32.  39.  & 
o  us  a  heart  of  flelk,  the  giving  of  a  new  heart  and  a  3!  32^l-Sl- 
new  fpirit.  1  (4)  To  the  creation  of  a  pure  heart.  k  ^^^'2  IO’ 
(5)  To  fpiritual  drawing  •,  1  unlefs  you  would  choofe  2  Cot.  5.  *17; 
to  refer  that  to  the  grace  of  converfion.  (6)  To  the  1  Cant.  2,  3.- 
illumination  of  the  mind,  m  and  renewing  of  the  will.  n  John^  44-65* 
(7)  To  a  fpiritual  rejurreftion  and  quickening.  0  All” * ’  f8' 
which  expreffions  are  fynonimous  with  regeneration,  »Eph.  2.5. 6.” 
fignifying  the  fame  thing  in  different  terms.  John  5.  25. 

IV.  The  foundation  of  this  neceffity  lieth  in  the  Anc*ky  rea- 
univerfal ,  fpiritual  death  of  all  the  elebf,  by  which  they,  p°gC  ,2  ^ 
as  well  as  reprobates,  are  by  nature  dead  in  fin  ;p  have  &v.  14  Luke 
an  heart  of  (lone  an  uncircumcijed  heart  •, r  are  blind  in  15. 24. Mat. 8. 
their  minds  f  have  their  wills  alienated  from  God,  from 
the  life  of  God,  and  from  all  fpiritual  and  laving  \ 

good  ; 1  and  are  therefore  utterly  infuflicient  to  think  Cor. 2.  14. 
even  the  leaft  good  thought ;  8  and  conlequently  alfo  Eph.4  17,18. 
to  receive,  by  a  living  faith,  the  Redeemer  offered  to  ^Eph^.4.18,19 
them  in  the  gofpcl,  and  the  neceffary  terms  of  falva-  °2rf\J' 

sion  ■, 


n 


On  Regeneration'. 


*  Heb.5.4.5. 
6.  9. 


1  iCor.2.  13, 
H- 

The  meaning 
©f  the  word 
regeneration. 


tion  *,  unlefs,  by  regeneration,  pcWir  be  beftowed  up¬ 
on  them  in  a  new  fp i ritual  life  by  the  Holy  Ghoft. 
However  a  man  ipiritua.Il v  dead  can  hear  fpintual 
truths,  he  can  alfo,  grammatically  at  leaft,  under  ft  and 
what  he  hears ;  he  can  moreover  approve  in  his  judg¬ 
ment,  at  leaft  fpeculdtively ,  what  he  underftands,  and 
laftly  he  can  in  a  general  manner  have  fome  kind  of 
affetftion  towards  what  he  approves.  Nor  doth  the  holy 
Spirit  in  the  work  of  regeneration  and  fpiritual  quick¬ 
ening,  treat  with  the  cleft,  as  with  flocks  or  brutes*, 
but  as  rational  creatures,  to  whofe  reception,  the  Re¬ 
deemer,  with  the  terms  of  falvation,  have  been  alrea¬ 
dy  offered  by  the  externa!  call  ;  to  the  reception  of 
which,  the  Spirit  hath  invited  them  by  the  rnoft:  pref- 
fing  motives.  Yea  it  is  poflible  that  perfons,  as  yet 
fpiritually  dead,  may,  if  not  by  the  powers  which  they 
are  naturally  pofle  fifed  of ;  yet  by  the  aftiftance  of  com¬ 
mon  grace,  arrive  to  certain  attainments,  not  accom¬ 
panying  falvation,  w  or  that  are  not  infeperably  con- 
nedted  therewith.  So  that  we  are  not  to  think,  there 
is  nothing  to  be  done  with  the  unregenerate.  How¬ 
ever,  while  they  perform  all  thefe  things,  they  do  no¬ 
thing  at  all,  which  is  fpiritual ,  or  befure  nothing  in  a 
fpiritual  manner.  * 

V.  That  we  may  attain  to  a  more  dear  undemand¬ 
ing  of  the  nature  of  this  regeneration,  fo  neceffary  to 
falvation  :  we  mult  carefully  obferve  with  regard  to 
the  word,  that  both  the  feriptures,  and  alfo  divines 
ufe  it,  fometimes  in  a  larger  fenfe,  to  denote  the  whole 
operation  of  the  Holy  Ghoff  upon  the  fouls  of  thofe 
who  are  to  be  faved  ;  whereby  they  are  brought  into 
a  ft  ate  of  grace  j  fo  that,  befides  the  external  call,  it 
comprehends  converfion,  and  even  initial  fandtificati- 
on  :  In  which  fenfe  practical  divines  lay  down  the 
marks ,  motives,  and  means  of  regeneration  :  Some¬ 
times  the  word  regeneration  is  uled  in  a  more  limited 
fenfe,  as  diftinguilhed  from  the  external  call,  from 

converfion,: 


t 

M. 

C 

t 

<! 

1 

C 

( 

t 

) 


On  Regeneration*  1 7 

converfion  and  from  fandtification  :  So  that  the  ex- 
■ternal  call  fignifies  only  the  offer  of  redemption  for 
our  reception  :  Regeneration  conveys  that  power  into 
the  fpul,  by  which  the  pf  rfon,who  is  to  be  iavfd.is  en¬ 
abled  to  receive  the  offer  :  Converfion  puts  forth  the 
power  received  ip,to  adlual  exercile,  fo  that  the  foul 
doth  actually  receive  the  offered  benefits  :  Sandtificaci- 
on  brings  forth  the  fruits  of  converfion  or  of  faith  and 
repentance,  in  a  carefulnefs  to  maintain  good  works  *, 
yet  not  fo  immediately,  but  that  an  union  wiih  Thrift 
and  juftification  come  between  converfion,  and  fandti¬ 
fication,  at  leaf!  in  the  order  of  nature,  if  not  ©t  time. 

It  is  in  this  Ctridier  fenfe  of  the  word,  we  (hall  confider 
the  dodlrine  of  regeneration  at  pretent.  In  which 
fenfe  it  means  the  fame  with  cirfumcijion  of  the  heart, 

-with  taking  away  the  heart  of  ftone,  and  putting  within 
us  a  heart  fiefio,  with  anew  creation ,  with  drawing , 
with  illumination ,  with  turning  the  will,  and  efpecially 
with  a  fpiritual  refurredlion  and  quickening ,  of  which  we 
have  already  fpoken  in  fedt.  III.  The  terms  ufed  in 
Greek  for  regeneration  are,  anakainefis, a  agiajmos  pneu-  a  j  T'm.  3 
matos ,  hkainee  ktifis,  c  paliggenfia,*  amgeneefis.  c  Thus  b2Tnei2  15 
regeneration,  in  the  proper  ienle  of  the  word,  is  only  a  d^j  ^  2 7, 
fecond  and  fpiritual  generation,  in  which  the  foul  receives  0  .pet  ^  f 
its  fpiritual  life ,  as  the  body  receives  it’s  natural  life  from 
the  firft  generation.  The  father  in  this  cafe  isGod; 
hence  we  are  faid  to  be  born  of  God,  f  and  the  rege-  f  j0hn  1.  1-. 
nerate  are  called  the  font  of  God.  8  The  mother  in  whofe  gi  jvh.j.i 
womb  as  it  were  we  are  conceived  and  nourifhed,  is 
the  church. h  The  feed,  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth  and 
abideth  forever  •,  1  rsreived  by  the  external  call  of  the 


Expreftions 
1  y  n  o  rn  m  o  u  s 
with  regency 
ration. 


h  Gal.  4.  26 
d  Pet.  1.  2 


golpel.  From  all  which  confiderations,  fince  a  divine 
nature  is  communicated  to  the  regenerate,  fimilar  in 
its  kind  to  the  holinefs  of  the  Deity,  it  is  with  fuffici- 
ent  propriety  called  a  generation,  as  that  is  only  a 
communication  of  life,  with  a  refemblance  to  the  Fa¬ 
ther  begetting. 

C  VI. 


i  8 


On  Regeneration. 

What  the  VI.  As  to  the  thing  intended  by  regeneration  ;  it  is 
tended'by  re-  on^  ^hat  phyfical  ■[*  operation  oi  the  Holyjiphoft, 
generation,  whereby  he  begets  in  men  who  are  elected,  rre 


emed 

and 


•h  The  word,  phyfical,  which  is  frequently  ufed  by  our  author,  is 
effenfive  to  fome  g>-n  lemer.,  who  feem  not  to  rrjeft  he  tiling  in¬ 
tended  by  it;  their  d.flike  thereto  feems  to  an/"  f rocn  an  apprenen-a 
fion  that  it  implies  the  beftovenent  of  a  new  r.aturai  /acuity  fuch  as  t 
the  undemanding, will, of  ailfeftioos;  but  this  ’tis  evident  !^not  our 
author’s  meaning,  and  perhaps  no:  the  meaniog  of  ary ,  v'.ho  ufe 
the  term.  Thev  do  not  fuppofe  the  regenerate  to  exercife  any  ns- ' 
tural  facu'ty  which  the  unregenerate  do  not.  They  ufe  the  »v  i'rd  C 
Amply  in  opp  fiuon  to  mo'a'.  Now  a  «M>-a/'operaiion  is  the  effec-  j 
ting  of  fotnethig  by  moral  fuTion  or  by  the  laying  of  arguments  j 
and  inducements  before  the  mind  ;  but  thefe,  however  great  and 
ftreng,  attended  with  never  lo  mi^<  light  in  the  underit jnding,  ‘ 
our  author  fuppofes,  will  not  efFsft  ^fcceration  i  bu  fuppofes  theie  { 
is  a  pofitive,  immediate  aft  of  the  dm^fpirit  upon  the  idui,  in- 
fuSng  a  nevf  principle  of  ipiritu:!  andtlivine  li'e  ;  whereby  the  , 
foul  is  enabled,  or  qualified  to  eXerci  e  i  s  na’urri  powers  and  fa-  c 
cul ties  in  a  fpiritual  manner.  Some  have  chofen  to  exprefs  them-  j 
felves  hereupon  in  this  form,  viz.  That  "God  in  regeneration  afts  fj 
after  the  manner  of  a  phyfical  caule,  as  Dr. Ames,  Rutherford  & c.  , 
snd  the  faine  thing,  I  take  it,  is  intended  by  our  Knglifh  Divines  | 
when  they  call  that  opera'ion,  which  regenerates,  Jufematural,  t 
They  certainly  ufe  this  word  in  oppofition  to  rr.iral,  or  any  opera-  . 
'lion  by  moral  fuafion,  or  the  laying  of  arguments  and  mo  ives  be-  t 
fore  the  mind.  See  ex  rafts  from  Ridgly,  Willard,  &c.  in  the  ap-  e 
pendix  -Indeed,  ’till  of  fare,  fcarce  any,  but  PeUgisns,  denied  j, 
whst  is  intended  by  aphyficcl  operation  in  regenei ation,  and  the  ; 
word  phyfical  has  generally  been  made  ufe  of  ;  tho’  iome  have  re-  , 
drifted  the  phyfical  ©peiation  of  the  fp! > ic  In  regeneration  to  the  , 
underftanding,  as  mod'  of  the  Armenians,  ai  d  'ome  of  the  reformed ,  f 
who  have  held  to  regeneration  by  an  i!l  ruination  of  the  under-  f 
/landing  ;  they  feem  to  have  been  influenced  to  this  reftriftion,  t 
thro’  fear,  lea  ft,  if  they  ex-ended  the  phyfical  opt  ration  10  »he  uvi/t,  , 
the  freedom' of  man’s  will  could  not  be  maintained.  But,  tho’  the  , 
generality  of  the  reforrtied  call  the  regeneratiag  aft  of  God  a  phy-  f 
fical  operation  ;  yet  f  no  where  find,  that  they  call  the  change,  j 
that  inwrought  in  man  thereby,  a  phyfical  change.  The  in  ta  .diate 
term  or  efKft  of  regeneration  according  tcVan  Maftricht  is,  (  §  x. 
xi.  xij.)  grace,  fpiritual  life,  Sec.  whieh  is  a  moral  change  in  the  ' 
men,  or  a  change  of  the  moral  ftate  o(  his  mind  ;  tho’  wrought  by 
a  phyfical  operation  Nor  is  there  any  thing  sbfurd  in  this,  that  ( 
the  operation  fhould  be  phyfical and  yet  the  cfF-ft  moral :  for  none  |( 
t*rould  fuppofe  it  beyond  the  power  of  God,  (if  he  is  pleafed  to  ex-  8 

erCifs 


On  Regeneration.  19 

and  externally  called,  the  firji  aft  or  the  principle  of 
fpiricua!  life,  by  which  they  are  enabled  to  receive  the 
offered  Redeemer,  and  c-umply  with  the  conditions  of 
falvatiori.  From  this  defcription  may  come  into  con- 
fideraiion, 

VlI.Firfh  Th t Author  of  regeneration,  which  isGod  ^lie  ^util0!: 
ablolutely  confidered  -,k  that  Father  of  Lights ,  from  °;0^enera 
whom  cometh  down  every  good  and  per fe ft  gift ;  '  be-  *  John  1.  13. 
caufe  regeneration  is  a  tranfiept  abf,  common  to  the  Eph-  2.  5 
whole  Trinity  •,  hence  in  the  ceconcmy  of  redempti-  J am* » •  J 7» 1 3 
on,  it  is  attributed,  (1)  To  the  Father,  as  moff  agree¬ 
able  to  the  charafter  of  a  father  which  he  fu flair  s,  m  m  1  Pet  i-  3* 
from  whom  all  the  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named. ,  n  ^a,m  / ' 1 ! 
who  therefore  as  he  begat  Rs  own  Son,  fo  he  alio  be-  p  ’  3' 
gets  us  *  lo  that  he  is  both  his  and  our  Father.  0  A-  0  T0j,n  20.17; 

gain, 

etcife  i  )  to  determine  the  will  of  m?.n  to  feme  pedicular  v.  L.ion, 
o  he  wife,  than  by  argument*  or  motives  ;  (this  is  beio^e  a  pefli- 
ble  cafe)  here  the  operation  would  be  phyfical,  yet  the  e(F£l 
moral.  So  that  the  fuppouriom  of  a  phyfiatl  operation,  and  yet  a 
moral  change  as  the  effeti  of  it,  is  not  inco<  0  ;ent  in  iTelf .  A  r>d  that 
this  is  ? dlrndly  the  cefe,  we  trufl  oar  author  hath  (efficiently  pro¬ 
ved  The  word  principle  which  is  here  u fed  for  he  immediate  efF  «ft 
of  this  phj  fipsl  operation,  and  which  is  frequently  ufed  in  this 
Cranflition,  has  likewife  given  offence  to  fome,  as  being  a  ihing 
entirely  urinselligible,  a  it  range  tomething  ,  or  a  fort  of  Jubflratum 
in  the  foul,  svhich-iies  beyond  the  icach  or  human  knowledge.  ’Tis 
confefTud  it  cannot  be  explained  otherwife  than  by  its  coni  quen- 
pes  or  effe&s.  And  is  not  the  foul  an  unknown  lubhratum  Ol  cogi¬ 
tation,  whofe  exigence  can  b;  known  only  by  its  operations? 
and  what  aie  the  faculties  of  the  foul,  the  untitrfi  uncling,  will  and 
ajftfiionsy  but  unknown  fubftrata  of  their  ftvera!  txercifes  ?  and 
what  is  matter  but  an  unknown  fubflratum  of  exter.fi.  n,  foliaity, 

&c.  and  what  are  all  habits,  but  unknown  fubhrata  of  their  exer- 
cifes  }  thefe  fubftrata  are  unknown  as  to  the  nature  cf  them.  Their 
exi9er.ee  is  known  only  by  the  qualities  or  aflions  they  fupport. 

But  who  will  difbelisve  their  exigence,  becaufe  they  can. 
rot  fully  comprehend  the  abftraft  nature  of  them  ?  the  im¬ 
plantation  of  a  principle  or  fubflratum  of  holy  exerciles  in  rege¬ 
neration  is  argued  and  known  from  iis  exercifes,  and  operations. 

And  we  can  tell  the  nature  of  it,  as  well  as  we  can  the  nature  of  mat¬ 
ter,  of  the  foul,  the  faculties  of  the  foul,  and  the  like.  And  when 
thefe  latter  are  explain-  d,  we  (hall  think  ou  (elves  obliged  to  CS- 
plain  the  former,  cr  difbslievs  its  existence  5  but  not,  before. 


20 


On  Regeneration'' 

r  *^et-  I»2>3-  gain,  (2)  Regeneration  is  aferibed  to  the  Son,  as  the 
^1  Lor. i5  45  meriiorjous  cau|c  .p  who  for  t|-,is  reafon  is  (tiled  a  quick- 
compared  emng  \pintg  and  the  lire,  which  we  Jive,  we  are  laid' 
iv  tn  P .1  i  1 .  1.  to  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.  r  And  (3)  To 
2i. Col.  3  4.  the  H  ) }  y  Ghoft  •, 5  hence  he  is  (tiled  the  /pint  of  life  •„ 3  ■ 
J Voti/ 3  ? -  beca-ufe  the  Holy  Spirit  by  his  operation  immediately 
Tu  35^  effects  regeneration  :  and  the  fpiritual  life  is  with  pe-  ■ 
mi  Z  2.10.  culiar  propriety  aferibed  to  the  fpirit  of  life.  The 
u  Eph. 


->  moving  caufe  is  merely  God’s  great  love,  u  his  abundant 
^  l  ct^i.  2, 3.  mgrey  .w  j^js  gracious  good  pleasure  *  Nor  is  there,  efpe- 
>  j  ,  ,7.  dally  before  regeneration,  (while  we  are  the  children 
3  Epn.  *  1, 5.  of  wrath,  dead  in  fin2)  anything  in  us  which  can  in 
the  leaf  merit  fuch  a  favour. 


The  indrument  of  rege¬ 
neration,  (but  that  merely  of  amoral  kind)  is  the  word 
of  God,  b  previ-oufly  offered  and  received  in  the  ex- 
b  1  Pet.  1.23.  ternal  call  of  the  gofpel,  as  we  have  already  oblerved. 

VI 11.  Secondly ,  we  may  confider  the  fubjedls  of  rege- 
Tfne  ^  neration,  which  are,  (1)  Men,  who.  are  endowed  with. 

underftanding  and  will,  to  whom,  agreeably  to  their 
rational  nature,  the  Spirit  hath  previoufly  offered  re¬ 
demption  for  their  reception  •,  with  whom  therefore, 
he  is  pleafed  to  treat,  not  as  with  flocks  or  brutes,  as 
we  have  already  obferved.  (2)  They  are  the  elebi  \  c 
for  regeneration  is  not  a  common  gift ;  but  a  gift  pro* 
ceeding  from  the  mofl  didinguijhing  or  fpecial  grace,  as 


of  reeeneia- 
tiem 


c  t  Pet.  1.2,3 
ic  chap.  2.  9 


n  Eph.  2.  5.  it  flows  from  God’s  great  love,u  from  his  abundant 


d  iPet.i.  2,3.  mercy.  d  (3)  They  are  redeemed  ;  hence  Peter  fpeaks 
of  regeneration,  as  peculiar  tothofe,  who  are  fprinkled' 
*  1  Pet.t  2,3.  with  the  blood  of  Chrijh  *  Again,  (4)  They  are  fuc.h, 
f£ph.2  1.5,6  who  are  as  yet  dead  in  fin  :  f  for  unlefs  a  man  be  dead, 
he  cannot  be  made  alive  by  regeneration.  I  add,  (5) 
siThef.523.  The  whole  man  throughout,8  is  the  fubjebt  of  regene¬ 
ration  •,  the  underftanding,  will,  affections,  fenfitive 
faculties,  &c.  that  all  may  be  quickened  and  renewed 
h  2  Cor. 5.  7  thereby.  h  As  by  natural,  generation,  all  the  parts  of  a 
man  are  quickened  or  made  alive ;  and  as,  by  fin,  the 
ilfa.  1.5  6- whole  man  is  become  corrupt  and  dead.. 

'  IX. 


21 


On  ’Regeneration . 

IX.  Thirdly,  we  may  confider  regeneration  itfelf,  or  The  °f 
the  regenerating  o.tl.  Which  certainly  is  not  a  moral  re&tf“Cia£18n* 
aft,  exercifed  in  otfering  and  inviting,  as  is  the  cafe 
with  the  external 'call.  But  it  is  a  phyfical  aft  power¬ 
fully  infilling  fpiritual  life  into  the  foul  :  Which  is 
proved,  not  only,  ( i )  By  the  conftant  phraleology  of 
the  fcriptitres,  when  they  fpeak  of  the  exceeding greatnys 
of  his  power  towards  thofe  who  believe,  according  to  the 
working  of  his  mighty  power,  or  the  energy  of  the  power 
of  his  might-,  yea  the  fame  power  which  was  exerted 
in  raifing  Chritl  from  the  dead.  k  Which  exprefiions  kEph.  1. 19, 
certainly  do  not  befpeak  a  moral  agency.  Alio  where  20, 
the  fcriptures  fpeak  of  fpiritual  circnmcijion,  of  taking 
away  the  heart  of  (tone,  of  putting  within  us  a  heart 
of  flefh,  of  creating  a  new  heart,  of  drawing,  of  work¬ 
ing  in  us  to  will  and  to  do,  of  a  refurreftion  from  the 
dead,  of  which  we  have  fpoken  in  feft.  HI.  Do  thefe 
exprefiions  in  the  lead:  favour  an  operation  merely 
moral?  But,  (2)  It  may  alfo  be  proved  by  the  very 
nature  of  the  thing,  in  as  much  as  regeneration  is  an 
operation  upon  men  ipiritually  dead,  infufing  life  into 
them  ; 1  but  what  moral  operation,  in  teaching  offer-  ^ph. 2.1. 5.6. 
ing,  perfuading,  can  be  rationally  exercifed  upon  a  a 
man  that  is  dead?  '  The  term 

X.  The  term  of  this  phyficial  operation,  or  the  firft  immediate 
and  immediate  ejfebl  of  regeneration,  is  varioufly  ex-  efFed  of  re- 
preffed  in  feripture.  Firft,  it  is  fometimes  caWcd  grace,™  2en^rall0n*  ‘ 
as  I  will  pour  out  the  Jpirit  of  grace  ;  i.  e.  I  will  pour  m'zachTz  10 
out  grace  by  my  Spirit.  Be  thou  ftrong  in  the  grace  that 
is  in  Chrijl  Jefus  -,n  and  in  other  places  to  the  like  pur-  n  2Tim.  2.  i„ 
pole.  By  \vti\ch  grace  vet  do  not  here  underftand,(  i)The  ]3-  9- 

free  kindnefs  of  God,  which  is  called  grace  freely  giving  1  e  '  2' 
(gratia gratis  dans)  and  external  grace;  irom  which 
not  only  man,  but  every  creature,  receiveth  whatever 
good  he  poffeffeth.  By  which  alfo  a  man  already  re¬ 
generate,  and  poffeffed  of  fpiritual  power,  thro*  a  gra¬ 
cious  providental  influence,  is  excited  to  exert  in  jpi- 

ritual 


22 


®Rom.  12. 
&  ch-  i .  i 
iCor  r .  7. 


fExod.ji-e 


*-  Heb.  6- 


2  Spirit, 

1  John  3.  11 
9  Gal  5.16 
17  18.  22. 

*  Gal.  6.  1 
J  Cor.  3. 
w  Rora.  ?.  ■ 


0«  "Regeneration . 

ritual  operations,  the  power  he  hath  received.  But, 
(2)  By  grace  we  here  underhand  the  of  this  kind- 
nets  grace,  freely  given,  (gratia  gratis  data)  or  internal 
6.  grace,  which  in  the  feriprures  is  called  cbarifma ,  “('the 
1  ‘  free  gift.)  Nor,  (3)  Do  we  underhand  by  grace  here 
every  efiVch  of  this  kindnefs,  fmee  all  the  good  which 
every  creature  enj  ayeth,  and  even  the  whole  creation, 
is  from  the  grace  ofGod,  and  in  this  fenfe  univerfai  grace 
may  be  allowed  :  But  we  underhand  that  grace  which 
is  contradihinguifhed  to  nature ,  and  as  it  exi Its  in  man, 
to  the  natural  powers  of  free  will .  Neither,  (4)  Da 
we  underhand  hereby  every  effect  of  grace,  by  which 
one  man  in  his  kind  excells  another,  v.  g.  The  gift 
.5  of  mechanical Jkilf p  or  wildom  in  civil  government, 
which  may  be  called  common  grace,  by  the  affihanceof 
which,  in  things  of  a  moral  nature,  a  man  may  perform 
any  of  thole  things  which  are  not  (as  the  apAftle  fays) 
echomraa  foterias,  or  that  have  not  a  necehary  connexi¬ 
on  with  eternal  falvation  ;  But,  (^)By'grace,  we  here 
underhand  that  effedt  of  God’s  kindnefs,  or  the  cha- 
rifma(free  gift)  by  which  one  man  hath  power  to 
perform  fpiritual  exercifes,  while  another  hath  it 
not  ;  and  fuch  exercifes,  indeed  to  which  God 
hath  promifed  eternal  falvation;  which  to  ufe  the, 
apohle’s  words,  do  accompany  falvation  (cchomena 
9-  foterias.9)  Finally  in  this  fenfe,  by  the  grace  be- 
howed  in  regeneration,  we  underhand  that  fuperna- 
tural  power,  by  which  a  maji  is  enabled  to  comply 
with  the  conditions  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  to 
apprehend  the  Redeemer  by  a  living  faith ,  to  come 
up  to  the  terms  of  falvation,  to  repent  of  fin,  to  love 
God  and  the  Mediator  fupremely,  See. 

XI.  Secondly ,  the  term  or  immediate  effe<5l  of  rege- 
neration,  is  more  frequently  called  fpirit.  r  That  which 
'  is  born  of  the  fie  fro,  is  fiejh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the 
.  fpirit ,  is  fpirit  ;s  from  which  the  regenerate  are  hiled 
1  •  fpiritual ,  ‘  who  are  fpiritually  minded  ;u  (phr enema  tou  pneu- 
7\  mates > 


r 


I 


i  Cor. 2. 14, 


On  Regeneration . 

i  mat  os)  who  perceive  the  things  of  the  fpirit  and  fpiritually 
difcern  them.  w  By  the  word  fpirit  here  we  underftand 
not  the  Spirit  giving  •,  but  the  fpirit  given,  that  is  the 
fpirit ,  which  the  Holy  Ghoft  beftows  in  regeneration, 
the  prefence  of  which  makes  the  foul  fpiritually  alive, 
as  much  as  the  preience  of  the  animal  Iptrit  makes  the 
body  naturally  alive.*  Hence  this  fpirit  is  faid  to  quick¬ 
en  or  make  alive,  b  therefore  it  is  fliled  the  fpirit  of  a  Ezck.3-.5- 
life,  c  becaufe  the  prefence  of  this  fpirir,  which  is  ini-  Ads  20/ ,c. 
planted  in  the  foul,  conftitutes  the  Jpiritual  life,  and  b  I  hr*  6-  63. 
capacitates  and  inclines  the  man  to  jpiritual  exercifes,  *  ^um'  2* 
juft  as  the  natural  fpirit  doth  to  natural  exercifes.  This 
fpirit,  beftowed  by  the  Holy  Ghoft  in  regeneration, 
is,  according  to  it’s  various  exercifes,  filled  iometimes 
th t  fpirit  of  grace,  fometimes  the  fpirit  of  prayer, d  the  ^Zach.iz.io. 
fpirit  of  faith,  e  &c.  agreeably  to  that  virtue  and  ope-  *2001.4  >3* 
ration  w'hich  it  produces  in  the  regenerate.  So  that  cornpared 
by  the  fpiric  here  we  underftand  only  that  Spiritual™1 
power ,  by  which  we  are  enabled  to  perform  Jpiritual 


1,  2* 


exercifes  in 


a  fpiritual 


manner. 


2. 


By  fpiritual  exercifes 
or  fpiritual  things  we  mean  the  fame  as  the  apoftle  by 
the  things  of  the  fpirit ,  f  and  our  Saviour,  by  the  bufmefs 
or  the  things  of  his  Father. s 

XII.  thirdly,  the  term,  or  immediate  effecl  of  re-  3-  Life. 
generation,  is  more  dearly  called  fpiritual  life,  in  its 
jfrjl  ad;  (or  principle,)  from  which  God  is  faid  to  quick¬ 
en,  together  with  Chrift,  ihofe  who  are  dead  in  fin,  h  h  Eph. 
that  we  may  be  raifed  together  with  him  in  a  fpiritual 
manner.  1  From  the  want  of  which  fpiritual  life,  the  . 
unregenerate  are  faid  to  be  dead  in  fin,  alienated  from  °  ‘ 
the  life  of  God  ;k  and  from  the  prefence  of  which,  on  k  Eph.  4.  ig; 
the  ether  hand,  we  are  faid  to  live  to  God, r  to  the  will  *Gal.  2.  20. 
of  God,  and  according  to  God. 1  This  fpiritual  life  con-  1 1  pet  ^  2  ^ 
fifteth  in  a  reunion  of  the  divine  image,  or  original 
righteoufnefs  with  our  fouls, by  which  our  fit  ft  parents, 
in  a  ftate  of  innocence,  were  enabled  to  live  to  God, 
and  were  difpofed  to  all  fpiritual  exercifes.'11  For  as 


1. 


the  Col.  3 


EpH.  4.  24, 


10. 


24 


On 


Regeneration. 


Jif 


i 


4  The  feed  of 
God. 

*  i John  3.  9. 


the  natural  life  confifteth  in  the  union  of  thfe  foul  withll  - 
the  body  ;  fo  th t  fpiritual  life  confifteth  in  the  unioni 
of  original  righteoufnefs  with  the  foul.  And  as  a  man 
hath  power  to  perform  all  natural  actions  from  the 
natural  life,  fo  frond  the  spiritual  life  the  regenerate 
have  power  to  perform  all  fpiritual  exerciles.  And 
laftly,  as  in  the  natural  life,  are  virtually  contained  all 
a  man’s  natural  powers,  which  afterwards,  by  organs 
properly  difpofed,  come  forth  into  action  :  fo  in  this 
fpiritual  life,  are  virtually  contained  all  thole  fpiritual 
graces,  which,  by  the  influence  of  converting  grace, 
are  in  due  time  drawn  forth  by  degrees  into  aftua 
exercife. 

XIII.  Hence  fourthly,  the  immediate  effeft  of  rege¬ 
neration  is  alfo  called  the  Jeed  of  God.  2  Becaufein  th 


grace,  in  the  fpirit,  and  in  the  fpiritual  life ,  which  are 


beftowed  upon  the  elect  in  regeneration,  are  contained 
the  feeds  of  all  thofe  graces,  which  are  neceflary  to 
falvation  :  Which,  under  proper  circumftances,  do, 
by  the  heavenly  dews  of  converting  grace,  gradually, 
yet  with  abfolute  certainty,  in  due  time,  put  forth 
their  blofToms  and  fruit  in  actual  exercife  •,  like  as  the 
feeds  of  vegetables  buried  in  the  earth,  when  watered 
by  genial  Ihowers,  fhoot  forth  into  the  (talk,  flowers 


5 .  A  new 
creature. 


and  fruit.  And,  fifthly,  this  immediate  effect  is  called 


a  new  creature,  h  from  which  the  regenerate  are  ftiied 


Gal.  6.  17. 

*  Eph.  2.  10 
k£zek  36,26 


h  2  Cor,  5.  7.  the  workmanjhip  of  God,  created  in  Chrijl  Jefus  unto  good 
works ,  that  they  might  walk  in  them .  1  Alio,  fixthly,  it  is 
called  a  new  heart  and  a  new  fpirit,  k  becaufe  thereby 
the  whole  regenerate  man,  and  all  that  is  his,y^z>/7  or 
underftanding,  heart  or  will,  all  are  renewed,  1  from 
which  there  is  born  a  new  man.  m  Thus  far  concerning 
the  general  term,  or  the  firft  and  immediate  effeft  of 
regeneration,  which  is  the  fpiritual  life  in  its  firjl  aft  (or 
principle,)  which  is  alfo  called  by  other  names,  as 
grace,  the  fpirit ,  the  feed  of  God ,  a  new  creature ,  &c. 

XIV. 


1  2  Cor. 5. 17, 
1  Thef.5.  23. 
“  Eph.  4.  23. 
24. Col. 3,  10 


On  Regeneration. 

5iiV\  This  fpiritual  life,  animating  and. quickening 
the  whole  regenerate  man,  and  ail  the  leveral  parts  apd 
faculties  of  him,  hath  different  names  according  to  thoie 
I  different  faculties.  As  it  takes  place  in  th t  under  (I  and 
j  ing  it  is  called  a  new  fpirit,  n  and  fpiritual  light,  6  and 
the  beflowment  oi  it  by  regeneration  is  called  illumina 
|  tion ,  p  and  thofe  who  are  illuminated  are  called  children 
i  of  the  light  •,  4  are  laid  to  walk  in  the  light  ot  the  Loid,r 
which  light  bege:s  in  them  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of. 
God  in  the  face  of  CbriH  Jefus  our  Lord ,  *  and  alio  the 
faving  knowledge  of  God,  1  and  the  Mediator.  *  This 
fpiritual  light  of  the  regenerate  effects,  ( t)  The  fimple 
under, (landing  or  perception,  w  by,  which  they  know  1  pi  - 
ritual  objects,  not  only  fpeculatively  as  true,  but  prac¬ 
tically  as  good.  (4)  It  affeCts  the  judgment ,  fo  that  the 
regenerate  judge  concerning  the  good nefs  of  fpiritual 
things,  not  only  as  to  the  general  pofuion  (in  theft, ) 
what  is  good  in  a  general  view  ;  but  alfo  under  all 
the  particular  circumflances  and  connections  of  that 
truth  (in  hypothefi ,)  what  is  good  and  profitable  for  them 
at  this  very  time,  all  circumflances  eonfidered.  x  In  the 


25 

Regeneration 
of  the  ulider- 
ltar.d L h g ,  cal¬ 
led  illumina¬ 
tion  . 

n  Bf>h.  2  ji 
Rom.  12,  2. 

0  Eph.  5.  S. 
p  Eph.  1  i&i 

2  or.  4.  6. 
sLuke  1 6. 1,8. 
Eph.  5  8. 

1  Thef.  5  5. 
r  Ha.  2.  5 
5  2  Cor.  4.  6. 
Col.  3.'  10. 

1  fohn  17  3. 
v  It a,  53.  2. 
w  l  Cor.  2.14. 


meantime,  this  lav  ing  i  1 


umination  m  regeneration,  js  to 


Pf.  73.  23.' 

e  Heb.  6.  4. 
a  John  1.  3. 

bNum.24-3.4 
sMa  .7.21  .22 
Rom. 2.  17 — . 
Z3  d  Mar.  13. 
20,  21.  Heb. 
6.4,  f  a.Theft, 

in  hypothefi)  under  all  the  circumftances  of  it,  fo  as  2-  »9.*Gal.2. 

14.  &  ch.j.  1. 
£  Rom.  1.18, 


becautioufly  diftinguifhed  from  the  illumination, which 
is  given  in  the  external  call,  z  in  which  fpiritual  light 
is  rather  held  upto  view,  than  conveyed  1  into  the  foul; 
«r  if  fome  degree  of  light  be  bellowed  by  an  internal 
work, b  that  however -is  either  merely  fpetuhliv* ,  ex¬ 
torting  only  an  acknowledgement  and  profeflion  of 
the  truth, e  or  if  it  be  practical  alfo,  is  fo  only  (in  theft ) 
Or  reprefenting  only,  in  a^general  manner,  the  good- 
nefs  of  the  truth  acknowledged  by  him  :  d  But  not 


to  excite  a  love  to  the  truth,  *  or  engage  us  in  obedi¬ 


ence  thereto,  fo  as  to  walk  in  it 
ing  the  truth  in  unrighteoufnefs.  £ 
XV.  As  this  fpiritual  life, 
enerarion,  is  feated  in  the  will , 

D 


bun  is  rather  hold- 

beflowed  in  reg- 
it  is  ftiled  a  new 
heart , 


Regenerauoa 
of  ihe  wilh 


26 

*  ?fal.  Jl.ia. 
*Ezek.  56.25. 

kler*  52-  39> 
4o.IIcb.8. 10. 
*Ezek.  1 1.19. 
20. 

“Rdtp..  2.14. 

1  5. "Luke  18. 
10,  11,  12. 
Phil.  3.  5.  6. 
«Maikio- 19, 
20,  21.  H«b. 
6.  4,  5. 

P  Eph  t.  1.5. 
*3  2  Cor.  3  5. 

?  Rom  7  22. 

2  Tl?ef.  3.  5. 


0/2  Regeneration. 

hearty h  a  heart  offlefb,  or  a  heart  eafily  affeded, 1  a  heart 
on  which  God  hath  written  his  fear,  *  by  which  the  re¬ 
generate  walk  in  hisfiaiutes.  1  For  the  Holy  Ghoft  im¬ 
plants  in  the  heart  or '.will,  by  regeneration,  a  new  in¬ 
clination  or  propenfity  towards  fpiritual  good.  For 
altho’  the  will  hath  naturally  a  kind  of  propenfity  to¬ 
ward  morel  good  in  general,  m  and  toward  external  re¬ 
ligious  duties,  n  whereby,  in  duties,  with  which falvation 
is  not  connected ,  an  unregenerate  perfon  may  lometimes 
perform  things  really  wonderful  :  0  Yet,  their  propen¬ 
fity  towards  lpiritual  and  faying  good,  mankind  havs 
utterly  loft  by  fin  5  hence  they  are  faid  to  be  dead  in 
fin, p  and  infufficient  to  think  even  the  leaf!;  thought 
fpiritually  good.  9  Wherefore  it  is  abfolutely  neceftary, 
that  a  new  propenfity  toward  fpiritual  good,  be  reftored 
to  the  will.  r  For  altho’  the  will  doth  naturally  follow 
the  lajl  dictate  of  the  practical  undemanding,  fo  that,, 
were  the  underflanding  but  fufficiently  illuminated,  an 
immediate  renovation  of  the  will  might  feem  unnccef- 
fary  j  yet  this  is  to  he  admitted  for  truth,  only  when 
the  underftanding,  in  its  laft  dictate,  judgeth  agree¬ 
ably  to  the  inclination  of  the  will.  For  that  is  good, 
with  reference  to  the  will,  which  is  agreeable  to  its 
propenfity.  So  that,  if  we  fhould  make  the  abfurd 
fuppofition  of  the  under/landing's  being  moft  clearly 
enlightened,  and  yet  the  will  not  renewed,  the  will 
would  not  follow  the  pradical  judgment,  becaufe  in 
that  cafe  the  underftanding  wouM  not  didatc  agree¬ 
ably  to  it’s  propenfity.  v.  g.  If  David’s  underftand¬ 
ing  dilated,  that  chaftity  at  this  very  time,  all  cir- 
cumftances  confidered,  ought  to  be  chofen  by  him, 
rather  than  adultery  ;  yet  whrlft  his  underftanding 
didateth  not  agreeably  to  the  prefent  propenfity  of  his 
will,  which  inclineth  to  adultery,  the  will  wodld  by 
no  means  follow  the  laft  didate  of  the  underftanding. 
It  is  therefore  in  this  fpiritual  propenfity  of  the  will, 
that  the  feeds  of  all  thofe  graces,  which  .are  ncceffary 


/ 


On  Regeneration. 


27 


•  r  John  3.  9- 
Regeneration 
in  the  inferi¬ 
or  faculties. 


to  falvation  are  contained  :  Hence  th e  feed  of  the  re¬ 
generate  is  faid  to  remain  in  them,  by  reaion  of  which 
they  cannot  abandon  themfelves  to  fin, 5 

XVI.  Nor  is  the  fpirituai  life ,  in  regeneration,  be¬ 
llowed  only  upon  the  fuperior  faculties  of  the  foul,  the 
undertlanding  and  will  :  But  alfo  upon  the  inferior  or 
fenfitive  faculties  •,  the  affedtions,  fenfes,  and  even  the 
members  of  the  body.  Hence  the  apoftie  expfefly 
aferibes  fandtification  not  only  to  the  fpirit,  by  which 
he  feems  to  underhand  the  fpirituai  faculties,  fuch  as 
agree  to  fpirits  only,  as  the  underftanding  and  will  ; 
but  alfo  to  the  feul ,  ( Pfuche ,  properly  the  animal  foul, 
from  which  we  arc  railed  pfuchikoi ,  natural  or  fenfual, 
as  it  is  rendered,)  which  denotes  the  inferior  faculties 
fuch  as  are  common  to  brutes  ;  yea,  he  extends  fanc- 
tification  even  to  the  body  and  members  of  the  body 
For  as  by  fin  a  fpirituai  death  and  irregularity  are  bro’t 
upon  thefe  faculties,  whereby  they  drive  againft  the 
fpirit :  u  Which  irregularity  is  exprefly  reprefented,  as  *  Gal. 5. 57. 
criminal  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  (1)  As  it  takes  place  in 
.  the  affeblicns  or  paflions  of  the  foul,  r  (2)  In  the  fenji-  £R]0m'  5*7* 
five  faculties  v.  g„  feeing f  and  bearing, a  (3)  In  thebodi-  ^ 

W  members ,  b  £fc  ;  Therefore  a  fpirituai  life,  by  rege-  i  Thef.  4 
neration,  muftbe  reftored  to  thefe  faculties,  to  enable  Rom-  1.  26. 
them  rightly  to  difeharge  their  refpedlive  fervices.  c  »  p^]'  2‘  14‘ 
This  life  in  the  inferior  faculties  is  a  dijpofition  to  obedi-  5’ 


1  iThef  5  23, 


(nee,  whereby  they  become  fitted  not  to  oppofe  the  ar.d  3. 


19. 

.  -  .  - 

fpirit,  or  underftandingandwilljbuttobe  infubjedtion  J5>  16. 
to,  or  to  be  led  by  the  fpirit.  d  As  at  fir  ft,  in  a  ftate  6’  IOg 
of  integrity,  by  bur  original  righteoufhefs,  which  con  -  R0m,6 ,1 2’L 
fifted  in  the  divine  image,  thole  inferior  faculties  vyere  14.  17.  jam. 
moft  beautifully  arranged  under  the  goyernment  of  *•  20. 
the  mind. 

XVII.  The  fpirituai  life  is  beftowed  by  regenera-  Regeneration  • 
tion,  only  in  the  fird  adi  (or  principle)  not  in  the  fe-  con*ers  Ae 
(ond  adds  (or  operation, )  underftood  either  as  habits  or  fpir>tu«1  ffe 

.  £or  as,  by  natural  generation,  a  man  receives  01ii/s 

neither 


1  in. 


&8  On  Regeneration. 

neither  the  habits  or  ads  of  reafoning,  fpeaking,  op  ; 
writing,  but  only  the  power,  which  under  proper  cir- 
cumftances,  in  due  time,  comes  forth  into  ad  ;  So  | 
alto,  in  regeneration,  there  is  not  beftowed  upon  the 
eled,  any  faith,  hope,  love,  repentance,  dec.  either  as 
to  habit  or  ad  ;  but  the  power  only  of  performing 
thele  exercifes,  is  beftowed  ;  by  which,  the  regenerate  ; 
perfon  doth  not  as  yet  actually  believe,  or  repent  ; 
but  only  is  capacitated  thereto  :  Wherefore  the  unre¬ 
generate  are  emphatically  raid,  to  be  unable ,  either  to  I 
Jee,  as  referring  to  the  underftanding,  or  to  enter,  refer-  i 
^}ohn  3.  3.  ring  co  the  will,  into  the  kingdom  of  God. e  Which  , 
aad  3.  power,  in  converfion,  which  fucceeds  regeneration,  j 
proper  circumftances  being  fuppofed,  is,  in  due  time,  I 
brought  into  abhtal  exercile.  So  that  one  truly  rege-  j 
nerate  may,  both  as  to' habit  and  ad,  be  for  a  time  J 
'  an  unbeliever,  deftitute  of  repentance  and  walking  in  I 
fin.  .As  appears,  more  clear  than  the  light  of  the  fun, 
in  the  inftances  of  thole,  who  are  regenerated  in  their 
tjer.  j,  ;.  mothers  wombs,  or  at  their  baptifm,  as  Jeremiah,  f 
John  the  baptiff,  1  and  Timothy,  h  who  neverth'elefs 
3  1 5  not)  till  they  arrived  to  the  years  of  diferetion,  i 
perform  the  adual  exercifes  ot  faith  or  repentance. 
So  that  regeneration,  in  which  the  fpiritual  life  is  be-  ' 
flowed  in  the  firjl  ad  or  principle  only,  differs  from  | 
converfion,  by  which  this  principle  of  life  is  brought 
into  adiual  exercife,  not  only  in  order  of  nature  ;  but 
,  fome times  alio  in  order  of  time.  However  we  mean 
siot  to  deny  here,  that  it  may  be,  and  often  is  the  cafe,  I 
that  a  fandification  of  the  fpirit,  in  a  general  fenfl, 
comprehending  vocation,  regeneration,  cenverfton  & 
•fandification  properly  fo  called,  is  effeded  at  one  and 
the  fame  time  :  Which  feems  to  have  been  the  cafe 
with  the  thief  on  the  crols,  converted*  by  Chrift  in 
‘-Luke 23 40.  iiis  ]a(i;  moments.*  We  only  mean  that  they  may  be 
feperated  as  to  time,  and  that  oft  times  this  is  ctiually 
the  cale. 


XVJJi 


On  Regeneration. 

XVIII.  Since  therefore  regeneration  conveys  the 
fpintual  life,  in  the  firft  a<5t  or  principle  ;  it  may  be 
eafily  determined,  i.  I  hat  in  regeneration  a  man  is 
merely  pafftye ,  as  in  the  firft  reception  of  a  natural 
fife,  the  iubjedt  of  it  can  be  only  merely  pajfive.^  For 
if  he  did  any  thing  toward  begetting  life  in  himfelf  ; 
he  mult  be  already  alive ,  fince  a  dead  perfon  cannot 
act;  and  if  already  alive,  then  furely  life  is  not  be¬ 
gotten  in  him. 

^ ‘ 2*  We  may  determine  what  ought  to  be 
held  as  to  a  preparation  for  regeneration  :  For  there 
may  two  kinds  of  preparation  come  under  confidera- 
tion  here  •,  one ,  which  is  fuppofed  to  proceed  from  the 
perjon  to  be  regenerated,  whereby,  he  prepares  himfelf 
to  receive  regeneration  ;  or  by  the  power  of  his  own 
free  will  he  becomes  more  cWpofed  and  prepared  for 
regeneration  than  others,  1  his-,  without  the  plaineft 
contradiction,  can  by  no  mieans  be  admitted  ;  fines 
regeneration  is  an  operation  upon  a  man  fpirituallv 
W,  into  whom  the  firft  a&  or  principle  of  fpirkuaY 
fife  is  infufed  :  Now,  if  he  prepared  himfelf  thereto, 
he  doubtldsly  muft  do  it  by  a  previous  principle  of 
life,  and.  io  muft  be  iuppoft-d  alive,  before  life  is  im~ 
p  anted  in  him.  The  other  kind  of  preparation  is  fup- 
po.ecl  to  proceed  from  God ,  the  author  of  regeneration. 
And  again,  this  preparation,  which  is  the  work  of 
Ood,  may  refpedt  regeneration,  either  as  taken  in  a 
larger  fenffe,  as  denoting  converfion  alfo, -and  the  term 
or  immediate  end  of  it,  viz.  Faith  and  adlual  repen¬ 
tance,  in  which  converfion  terminates  :  That  God 
ifteth  martv  preparatory  means  to  regeneration,  taken 
in  this,  lenfe,  by  the  help  of  which  one  may  attain  to 
this  faith  and  repentance,  we  fhall  endeavour  to  fhew 
by  divine  affiftance,  in  a  future  dilcourfe  :  Or  this 
preparation  may  relped  regeneration  in  a  more  Jimic- 
pT  en'e’  as  denoting  only  the  introduction  of  the  firft 
^  or  principle  of  fpiritual  life..  Nor,  in  this  fenfe. 


29 

The  afrefti  > 
ons  of  rege- 
neiation.  1  A 
man  is  en¬ 
tirely  paffive 
therein 
k  !  <‘hn  1  1.43, 
with  Eph,  ?. 

y,  6. 


2.  How  far 
regeneration 
Jidmits  of  any 
prepaiation. 


C'J 


-John  11.43 


Gen.  3.  7 


3.  In  what 

Jer.fe  regene¬ 
ration  is  if- 
refiTtible. 

?  A&s  7.  51- 
ejo.  1 1,43.44 
PEzek.36.2;. 
z6,  27.  Jer. 
32.  39,  4°* 
^ompjreGal. 
1.  13.  Ails  9 
S — 6,&2Z.  5 
with  v.  10-  & 
36.9,  10.  14, 
with  ver.  19. 

4.  In  what 
{erUc  regene¬ 
ration  is  ir.- 
am'.ffible. , 

%  iTohn  3.  9. 
Ezek. ;6,  27. 
£  1 1.  19  2°- 
Jcr.3239.4® 


0/z  Regeneration. 

can  any  preparation,  truly  and  properly  fo  called,  be 
admitted,  any  more  than  took  place  in  the  reiurrecci- 
on  of  Lazarus  to  a  natural  life.1  If,  however,  you 
chufe  to  admit  here  fome  kind  of  preparation  in  tho.e, 
who  arc  to  be  made  the  Subjects  of  thus  Spiritual  life, 
fuch,  for  inftance,  a3  in  drying  wood,  which  is  to  be 
fee  on  fire,  fuch  alfo  as  God  ufed  in  the  work  of  crea¬ 
tion,  when  he  created  on  the  Britt  day  a  fhapeieis  mala, 
which  be  formed  and  modified  in  the  following  days, 
and  fuch  as  he  peculiarly  ufed  in  the  creation  of  man, 
forming  firft  the  b®dy  of  clay,  or  the  nb,  into  which 
.  he  afterwards  breathed  the  breath  of  life ."  [  fay,  n  m 
this  fenfeyou  chufe,  with  many  orthodox  Divines,  to 
admit  fome  preparation,  which  is  the  work  oi  Goc,  1 
have  no  great  obje&ion  thereto  :  And  then  tms  pre 
paration  mav  confifl  in  the  previous  external  call,  to 
far  as  God,  by  the  offers  of  grace,  enlightens  the  mine 
of  the  perfon,  who  is  to  be  regenerated,  concerning 
the  nature  of  redemption,  and  the  terms  of  lalvaaon 
and  invites  him  to  embrace  the  fame. 

XX.  3.  We  may  hence  determine,  that  regenera 

tioh  is  irrefijlable,  and  in  what  fenle  this  is  to  be  un 
derftood.  For  it  you  confider  what  the  perfon,  wh 
is  to  be  regenerated  is,  a  child  of  wrath  dead  in  Jin  \  hi 
hath  certainly  depravity  enough  to  refill  :  n  But  if  yo 
confider,  that  it  is  God,  who  regenerates  and  quicken 
thefubjed  of  regeneration  can  no  more  reffl  Go<| 
than  Lazarus  of  old  could  have  refitted  Chnft,  whj 
raifing  him  to  a  natural  life.-  Nor  hath  he  *  wtU 
refill,  for,  by  the  fpiritual  life  inftantaneoufly  produ 
ed,  all  inclination  or  defire  of  refitting  is  lupprtfied 

taken  away.*  .  npvf 

XXf.  4:  That  the  grace  of  regeneration,  can ue 

be  loft ,  and  the  grounds  upon  which  tins  Inamtft'.bii 
is  founded.5  In  this  indeed,  it  differs  fromthe^ 
fpiritual  life,  erfifled  in  creation,  by  the  beIl°'*r" 
oi  original  righteoofnefs  ;  through  the  lofs  of  wh. 


On  ’Regeneration. 

iy  On,  our  firft  Parents  becam tfpiritually  dead  f  fince 
he  fpiritual  life  bellowed  by  regeneration  is  never 
entirely  loft.  However,  the  unfailing  permanency  of 
this  life  is  by  no  means  to  be  aferibed  to  the  fxrmntfs 
and  conftancy  of  the  regenerate,  or  the  iirtngih  and 
perfection  of  the  fpiritual  life  ♦,  for  there  is,  and  always 
dwells,  in  the  regenerate.  To  much  corruption,  that 
they  are  a$  likely,  by  their  own  conduit,  to  deftroy 
this  life,  as  our  fir  ft  parents  were  ;  and  indeed  more 
fo.  beciufe  they,  before  the  iofs  of  their  fpiritual  life, 
were  perfectly  righteous  and  holy.8  But  the  impofil- 
biiirv  of  looting  the  grace  of  regeneration  depends, 
(i)  On  the  grace  of  election  and  of  the  divine  purpofe, 
hence  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repen¬ 
tance.1  And,  (2)  Upon  preferving  grace.0 

XXII.  5.  That  this  fpiritual  life,  as  conveyed  in 
regeneration,  is  but  very  imperfect ,  it  being  only  the 
fhrft  adt  or  principle  of  fpiritual  life,  and  only  the  feedx 
of  fpiritual  graces,  which  gradually  like  the  feeds 
of  vegetables,  grow  up  into  the  ftalk,  biotihms  and 
fruit.  Hence  the  regenerate,  merely  as  fuch,  are  tilled 
new  born  babes  f  babes  in  Chrijlf  who  ftill  have  need  to 
be  nurfed,  and  indeed  with  food  Tufted  to  the  infantile 
ftate  :n  That  they  may  grow  and  wax  firong  in  the  fpirit, 
as  is  faid  of  John  the  baptift  -,°  that  is,  in  order  that 
the  firjl  ad  or  principle  of  life,  conveyed  in  regenera¬ 
tion,  might,  by  converfion,  be  drawn  forth  into  adtual 
faith  and  repentance,  which  are  the  fecond  aits  or  ope¬ 
rations,  and,  if  I  may  fo  fay,  the  branches  of  this  life: 
And  at  length  by  fanftific&tion ,  produce  all  thefe  good 
toorks,  which  art  the  fruits  of  the  fpiritP  This  fpi¬ 
ritual  life  is  indeed  fo  fmall,  that  it  cannot  be  well 
known  and  diftinguifhed,  but  by  its  growth  and  exer- 
cifes  *,  as  habits  cannot  indeed  be  otherwife  known, 
than  by  their  Operations.  * 

The  argumentative  part. 

XXI II.  The  moft  of  the  controverfies  on  this  fub- 
may,  without  much  difficulty,  be  determined  from 


31 

r  E»h.a.  i.$; 


*  Keel.  7.  2<y. 
(  Rom.  1 1. 29. 
Math.  24. 2z, 
a  1  Pet.  1.5" 
John  la.  28, 
39. 

5.  In  what 
ienfe  it  is  im¬ 
peded. 


v  1  Pet.  2  2 
x  1  Cor.  3.1. 
*  Heb  5  12. 

!3>  *4- 
°l.uke  x.  Zo. 


f  Gal.  5.  2 i. 


C^.1  .Whether 
regeneration 
confifteth  ia 
reformation 
of  manners  } 


3a 


#  iCdr.^.^.6. 
i  C  >r.  2.  14. 
Rom.  8.  7. 

Reafon3  of 
our  oppo- 
ncnss. 


On  Regeneration > 

o 

our  doslrin&l  propofitions.  The  firft  quediom  upori 
this  fubjccd  is.  Whether  regeneration  confideth  in  a 
reformation  of  manners  ?  The  rank.  Pelagians,  as  they 
deny  original  fin,  the  lof$  of  original  righteoufnefs, 
and  our  being  in  a  (late  of  fpiritual  death  ;  and  hold 
only  to  external  grace,  which  prescribes  to  man  his 
duty,  and  excites  by  arguments  to  the  performance  of 
it  :  So  they  allow  no  regeneration,  but  what  confideth. 
in  a  reformation  of  manners,  effected  by  the  external 
grace  of  God.  The  Socinians,  thofe  ranked  Pelagi¬ 
ans,  tread  in  their  fteps,  and  affirm  the  fame  with  them. 
The  Reformed  confider,  a  reformation  of  manners,  as 
belonging,  not  to  regeneration,  in  its  ftridt  and  proper 
fenfe,  but  to  convcrfion  and  farudification  ;  while  they 
place  regeneration  folcly  in  the  reformation  of  the 
inner  man,  the  underftanding,  will,  and  other  facul¬ 
ties,  as  we  have  fhewn  under  the  doctrinal  part.  Which 
they  fupport  by  the  following  reafons,  (1)  Man,  by 
breaking  the  covenant  of  works,  h^th  loft  his  original 
righteoufnefs,  in  which  the  Jpiritual  life  of  the  foul  con¬ 
fideth,  (and  by  the'  help  of  which  alone  our  fird  pa¬ 
rents  were  enabled  to  perform  fpiritual  good,  as  we 
have  confidered  in  a  former  difeourfe,,'  and  fo  by  fin 
hath  contracted  jpiritual  death.  (2)  The  feriptures  ex¬ 
prefly  extend  regeneration,  to  the  renewing  of  the  in¬ 
ner  parts  of  the  foul,  to  a  new  heart ,  a  new  fpirit,  to 
the  writing  of  the  law  upon  the  mind,  and  upon  the 
heart  •,  as  in  the  dofirinal  part.  (3)  A  real  reformati¬ 
on  of  manners ,  cannot  relult  from  any  thing,  but  a 
previous  principle  oflifefand  a  renewing  of  the  mind 
and  heart.6  Nor  have  our  adverfaries  any  thing  to 
urge  in  iupport  of  the  contrary,  but  their  own  incon¬ 
fident  fuppofitions,  fuch  as,  (r)  That  the  image  of 
God  did  not  contain  original  righteoufnefs,  which  we 
have  confuted  in  a  former  difeourfe.  (2)  That  man 
was  not  deprived  of  the  image  of  God,  fo  far  as  it 
confided  in  original  righteoufnefs ,  for  cranfgrefiing  the: 


\i' 

(1 

tr 

U 

tl 

(i 

( 


On  Reptncratitn. 


S3 


Jaw  of  paradife.  Which  w;  have  already  confuted. 

(3)  That  man  did  not  by  the  lofs  he  fuftained,  con- 
tradt  fpiritual  death,  and  univerfal  impotence  to  fpiii- 
tual  and  having  good,  (which  hath  been  already  con¬ 
futed.,)  And  therefore,  (4)  That  there  is  nothing 
needs  reformation  in  man  bpthis  manners  or  moral 
conduct.  The  faifity  of  which  naturally  appears  from 
what  hath  been  already  obferved. 

XXiV.  Queft:.  Second.  Doth  regeneration  flow  Q®  Whether 
from  the  free  will  of  man,  or  from  God  alone  ?  The  dT'nj*- 
rank  Pelagians,  with  whom  the  Socinians  exactly  0o  the  lee- 
agree,  as  they  luppofe  that  the  nature  and  free  will  willbf  man  ? 
of  rrun  were  not  impaired  by  the  fir  ft  fin,  lo'they 
alcribe  their  regeneration,  which  they  make  to  con  fid  niffAent 
in  a  reformation  of  manners,  to  free  will  alone,  except- 
ing  that  they  allow  grace  externally  directing  and  in¬ 
fluencing  in  a  wav  of  moral  fuafion  *,  yet  fuch  grace 
as  may  be  rejected  by  the  free  will  of  man.  The  Se¬ 
mi-Pelagians,  with  whom  the  Jefuits  and  Arminiarrs 
agree,  admit  indeed,  that  the  human  nature  was  im¬ 
paired  by  fin  *,  that  blindntjs  was  thereby  brought  upon 
the  underftanding,  and  a  certain  debility  (tepor)  upon 
the  wilt :  Therefore  they  hold  to  fome  kind  of  internal 
grace,  which  may  be  excited,  even  as  to  the  will  by 
external  grace  in  a*way  of  moral  fuafion  ;  but  fueh  as 
may  neverthelcls  be  rejebled  by  the  free  will  of  mss. 

The  Synergifise,  among  the  Lutherans,  with  whom 
Macreiius,  in  his  ecclefiaftical  hiftory,  reckons  Vicio- 
rinus  Strigeliu?  ;  hold  that  the  power,  which  man  na¬ 
turally  hath,  may  contribute  jomtthiug  towards  their 
regeneration.  The  Lutherans  in  general  hold,  that  a, 
man  can,  by  the  power  of  his  free  will,  at  lead  refrain 
from  pofitively  refilling  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  work 
of  regeneration,  i.  e.  by  the  ufe  of  external  means,  he 
may  as  it  were  open  the  door  to  the  fpiric,  when  he  is 
about  to  introduce  the  fpiritual  life.  The  Reformed, 
altho’  they  allow,  that  after  a  fpiritual  quickening  is 

E  "  effected 


34 


r  Cant.  i.  4, 
Ter.  31.  I'i. 
Reafons  of 
the  orthodox 
opinion. 


*  Pf.  51-  12. 

*  2  Cor  5  t  7. 

*  I  fa.  43.  7. 

,  w  2  Cor.  3.5. 

*  Phil.  2.  13. 


*  Rom.  9. 1  6. 


*  1  Cor.  1 ,  7. 
Heterodox 
objections, 
cDeut.  to.  16. 
Jer.  4  4. 
4Ezek.iS.  31. 

•  Rom.  1 2-  z. 
f  J  >el  2.  13. 
Mat.  4.  17. 


s  Mat.  2237, 
h  Rom.  5  5 


On  Regeneration . 

effcdled  by  regeneration,  a  man  may,  in  converfion, 
co-operate  with  God  unto  the  exercifing  of  faith  and 
repentance  :r  Yet,  in  regeneration  drittly  fo  called, 
they  deny  that  a  man  can  do  any  thing  aSlively  \  but 
affirm  that  heis  merely  paffive.  Becaufe,  ( \ )  Before  re¬ 
generation  is  effected,  man  is  fpiritualjy  dead  :  there¬ 
fore  cannot,  either  in  whole,  or  in  part,  contribute  any 
thing  towards  begetting  life  in  himfelf  :  for  this  con¬ 
tributing  of  fomething  would  (uppofe  life.  Becaufe, 
(2)  In  regeneration  there  is  bellowed  a  new  heart,  a 
new  fpirit ,  on  which  is  written  the  law  of  God  ;  which 
certainly  is  to  be  aferibed  to  God  alone.  (3)  There  is 
in  regeneration  a  creation and  a  new  creature /  which 
can  be  attributed  only  to  God.u  (4)  Of  ourfelves  we 
are  inefficient  to  think  even  the  lead  thought,  with 
which  falvation  is  connected. w  (5)  GW  is  faid  to  work 
in  us,  to  will  according  to  his  good  pleafure/  (6) 
The  feriptures  exprefly  declare,  that  it  is  not  of  him 
that  uuilleth ,  or  of  him  that  runneth  •,  but  of  God  that 
fheweth  mercy.*  (7)  If  man  were,  either  in  whole,  or 
in  parr,  the  author  of  his  own  regeneration  •,  he  would 
make  himfelf  to  differ ,  contrary  to  the  apodles  afier- 
tion.b  Nor  doth  what  our  adverfaries  allege,  favour 
their  opinion  in  the  lead  ;  a«,  (1)  That  we  are  fome- 
times  commanded  to  circumcife  the  for efkin  of  our  hearts  f 
to  make  to  ourfelves  a  new  heart ,  and  a  new  fpirit ,d  to  be 
renewed  in  the  fpirit  of  our  minds f  and  to  turn  ourfelves 
to  God/  To  this  I  anfwer,  (1)  It  is  no  ways  incon¬ 
fident,  that  God  ffiould  both  command  and  freely  bejlow 
the  fame  thing,  according  te  the  well  known  expref- 
fion  of  Auidin  ;  da ,  quod  jubes  ("freely  give  what  thou 
,  commanded) — thus  God  commandeth  love  •/  yet  it  is 
•  he,  that  fbedeth  it  abroad  in  our  hearts/  (t)  Thofe 
places  of  feripture,  which  are  alleged,  fpeak  not  of 
regeneration ,  ftridtly  fo  called,  by  which  God  infufeth 
the  fird  principle  of  life  5  but  of  converfion ,  wherein 
hebringech  forth  the  life,  already  bedowed,  into  ac¬ 
tual 


On  Regeneration. 

tual  exercife.'  They  object,  (2)  That  if  a  man  doth 
nothing  towards  his  own  regeneration,  but  is  purely 
paflive,  he  is  regenerated  as  a  flock,  or  ftone.  To 
which  I  anfwer,  this  by  no  means  follows,  fince  the 
lub]cct  of  regeneration  hath  been  previoufly  taught  by 
the  external  call  of  the  gofpel,  and  by  moral  luafion. 
They  objedt,  5.  That  to  fuppofe  a  perfon  doth  not 
exercife  a  free  felf-determining  power  as  to  his  rege¬ 
neration,  would  deftroy  the  freedom  of  the  will.  To 
which  I  anfwer,  (1)  A  mans  free  will  is  no  more  con¬ 
cerned  in  his  fpirituai  regeneration ,  than  in  his  natural 
generation.  (2)  Regeneration  is  not  an  action  of  the 
man,  that  it  fhould  be  determined  by  his  free  will  •, 
but  a  mere  paffion,  in  which  he  only  admits  (or  is  the 
objedt  oO  the  adtion  of  God,  being  capable  fas  a#rati- 
onal  creature)  of  having  Inch  an  action  performed 
upon  him. 

XXV.  Queft.  Third.  Is  the  adtion  of  God,  which 
regenerates  a  man,  moral ,  or  phyfical  ?  The  rank  Pe¬ 
lagians  with  the  Socinians,  as  they  place  the  nature 
of  free  will  in  indifference ,  and  fuppofe  alfothat  the  free 
will  of  man  is  unimpaired  by  fin,  and  therefore  that  a 
man,  by  his  own  power,  can  do  whatfoever  God  re- 
quireth  of  him  •,  allow  nothing,  but  a  moral  adlion  or 
agency  of  God  in  regeneration,  in  which,  he  teacheth 
what  is  to  be  done,  and  by  motives  perfuadeth  to  the 
doing  of  it.  The  Semi-Pelagians,  together  with  the 
Jefuits  and  Arminians,  as  they  acknowledge  fome  in¬ 
ternal  depravity  as  the  effedt  of  fin  ;  fo  they  likewife 
allow  fome  phyfical  agency  of  God  in  regeneration, 
which  removes  that  depravity  ;  But,  as  they  reftrain 
the  depravity,  arifing  from  fin,  to  the  inferior  faculties 
of  the  foul,  or  at  molt,  to  the  underftanding  •,  fo  they 
allow  the  phyfical  agency  of  God,  only  with  refpedt 
to  thefe  faculties  :  while,  as  to  the  will  or  free  will  of 
man,  they  hold  only  to  a  moral  agency  ;  yea,  they 
fuppofe,  that  this  phyfical  adtion  of  God  may  be  re- 

jedtedi 


35 

*  Cant.  1.  4. 

jer.  3:.  18. 
John  6.  44. 

d'S- 


whether 
the  adtion  of 
God,  which 

regenerates, 
be  moral  or 
phyfical. 

Different’ 

fenuments. 


Arguments 
or  cne  ortho¬ 
dox. 

5  Eph.  2.  5. 
k  C'eut.  30  6. 
1  Pf.  51  12. 

s:-.h.  2.  to. 
”*  Ezek.  3 6. 
25,  26,  27. 

Jer.  3,.  33. 

*  John  6.  44 
65. 


*  Eph.  1.  19 
20. 

}-.'eterodnx 


rDeut.  10. t  6. 

jer.  4.  4. 
lEzek  18.31 
r  Phil.  2.  13, 

*Dcut.  10. 1 5 


’John  5.;.  5 


*  Deal. so,  12 
»3* 


On  Regeneration. 

jecled  by  the  power  of  the  will.  The  Reformed,  altho’ 
they  acknowledge  a  moral  agency  of  God  in  the  ex¬ 
ternal  call  of  the  gofpel.  which  is  previous  to  regene¬ 
ration  ;  and  tho*  they  allow  both  a  phyfical  and  moral 
agency  together  in  converfwn ,  which  follows  regenera¬ 
tion  :  Yet  in  regeneration  ft:  idly  fo  called,  they  admit 
only  a  mere  abfoiute '  phsfical  agency.  Bccaufe,  (1) 
Regeneration  is  the  firfi  implantation  of  the  fpiritual 
life  before  which,  the  perfon  regenerated  wasfpiritu- 
ally  dead. '  Now  moral  fuafion  is  no  more  fufficient, 
or  even  conducive,  to  the  begeting  of  the  fpiritual, 
than  it  is,  of  the  natural  life.  Beraufe,  ( 2)  That  fpi- 
ritual  circumcifiorf — new  creation 1 — taking  away  the  heart 
of  Jlone — putting  within  us  a  heart  of flejh — writing  the 
law  thereupon im — and  dawingf  by  which  terms  regene¬ 
ration  is  exprefled,  is  not  a  moral,  but  a  purely  phrfical 
operation.  Becaufe,  ( 3  )  That  fuper abundant  grt a.  nefs 
ef  divine  power,  which  was  exerted  in  the  raifing  of 
Chrilt  from  the  dead,  was  not  mural,  but phyficalxn  the 
highefl:  fenfe  :  And  the  apoftle  teftifies,0  that  the  fame 
power  is  exerted  in  our  regeneration.  The  principal 
things,  which  can  be  urged  upon  the  contrary  fide, 
are,  (1)  That  we  read  of  God’s  bringing  about  rege¬ 
neration  by  commanding  it,  (which,  without  doubt, 
be  [peaks  a  moral  way  of  operation)  as  '■'•circumcife  the 
forejkin  of  your  bear  Is  ,p  make  to  your  [elves  a  new  heart f 
,  work  out  your  own  fclvation .55r  To  which  I  anfwer.  In 
.  thefe  commands  Goa  fpeaks  to  his  church,  to  his  peo¬ 
ple,  who  had  long  been  his  delight  •,*  therefore  they 
mud  have  been  already  regenerate  ;  mice,  without  re¬ 
generation,  no  one  can  lee,  or  enter  into  the  kingdom 
.  of  God.1  Therefore,  by  chefe  commands,  God  doth 
not  mean  to  bring  about  regeneration,  as  it  denotes  the 
fail  infufion  of  the  fpiritual  life  *,  but  the  drawing 
forth  of  that  life,  which  is  infufed  by  regeneration, 
into  the  fecond  atfU  or  confequent  exercifes,  (which  is 
(  exprefly  mentioned  in  the  pafTage,"  from  whence  the/ 


37 


On  Regeneration* 

fird  of  thefe  commands  is  quoted,}  which  is  done  in 
converfton ,  that  follows  upon  regeneration,  in  which 
nr  .in  being  drawn  runs  after  God  ft  being  turned,  he  ac-  *  (-'ant  *•  4- 
lively  converts  and  turns  him. elf  to  God  by  the  power 
of  his  grace. x  It  is  objected,  (2)  If  regeneration  is*Jer.  31.  iS. 
cffeCtedby  the  phyfical  agency  of  God  alone,  without 
any  co  operation  of  the  man,  then  man  is  regenerated 
as  a  (lock  or  a  done.  To  which  I  anfwer,  1.  Regene¬ 
ration  according  to  the  feripmres,  refpedts  man  as  Ipi- 
ritually  deadd  as  pod  fled  &[  a  heart  of  ft  one, h  unfit  for  a  Eph-  2-  5* 
any  fpiritual exercifes  :c  But  is  a  man,  that  is  fpiritual-  b  Ezc^  "3[ 

]y  dead,  having  an  heart  of  done,  and  being  unqtiali-  Vf  Cor!  3.5,. 
fled  for  vital  operations,  in  any  proper  fenfe,  the.  fame 
as  a  dock  or  a  done  ?  2.  Regeneration  is  wrought  in 
man,  after  he  hath  been  externally  called,  to  whom 
grace  hath  been  offered  in  a  way  o (moral  iuafion,  and 
he  invited  to  the  reception  of  it  ;  thus,  fo  far  at  lead, 
he  is  regenerated,  not  as  a  dock  or  a  done,  but  as  a 
man.  It  is  objected,  3  Thar,  by  a  phyfical  regenera¬ 
tion,  the  liberty  of  the  will  would  be  impaired  and 
even  defiroyed.  To  which  I  anfwer:  Since  by  rege¬ 
neration  fpiritual  life  is  beftowed  upon  the  will  of 
man,  which  was  before  dead,  it  is  fo  far  from  being 
defiroyed ,  that  it  is  redored  to  its  proper  life4and  per¬ 
fection. 

XXVI.  Queft.  Fourth.  Doth  the  phy  Heal  opera-  whe- 
tion  of  regeneration  affedt  the  will  immediately  ?  The  ther  the  phy- 
1  rank  Pelagians,  with  the  Socinians,  allow  n®  phyfical  foal  operati- 
\  operation  of  God  at  all  in  regeneration  1  but  hold  on  of  reIeJ!‘' 
only  to  a  moral  and  external  operation.  The  Semi  thc  will  im- 
Pelagians,  with  the  Jefuits  and  Arminiant,  allow  fonts  Aicdiately. 
phyfical  efficiency  in  regeneration  ;  but  fuch  as  affe&s 
not  the  will,  or  free  wiil  •,  but  only  the  other  faculties 
of  the  foul.  Some  of  the  Reformed,  v.  g,  John  Ca¬ 
meron,  and  many  others  allow  indeed  a  phyfical  ope¬ 
ration  upon  the  will  but  that  only  by  the  medium  of 
the  underd&nding,  which  Gods  in  regeneration,  fo 

powerfully 


3* 


On  'Regeneration. 


Reafons  for 
the  affirma¬ 
tive. 

d  Phil.  2.  13. 


*  Pfal.  5  1 .  12. 
Ezek.36.  25. 
26.  2 7 


f  Gen.  6.  5. 
&  S.  2  1. 
e  Rom.  3.  7. 


powerfully  enlightens ,  and  convinces,  that  the  will  can¬ 
not  but  follow  it’s  laffc  practical  didtate.  The  fy  nod 
of  Dort,  with  moft  of  the  Reformed,  extend  the  phy¬ 
fical  operation  of  regeneration  to  the  will,  and  that  im- 
mediately ,  as  it  begets  in  the  will  a  new  propenjity  to¬ 
wards  fpiriiual  good,  which,  in  my  judgment,  is  moft 
agreeable  to  truth.  Becaufe,  (1)  The  feriptures  do, 
in  exprefs  terms,  aferibe  the  phyfical  agency  of  rege¬ 
neration  to  the  willf  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  us  hath  to 
will ,  &c.  Becaufe,  (2)  In  terms  of  the  fame  mean¬ 
ing,  the  feriptures  extend  it  to  the  heart,  by  which  is 
always  meant  the  will  in  feripture:*  That  God  creates 
a  new  heart ,  and  taking  away  the  heart  of  ftone,  puts 
this  new  heart  within  us,  and  writes  his  law  upon  it  : 
moft  certainly  this  is  done  by  a  phyfical  operation.  (3) 
The  will  is  itfelf  depraved  by  fin,  as  well  as  theunder- 
ftanding,  and  inferior  faculties  f  hence  we  frequently 
read  of  a  hard  heart ,  by  reafon  of  which,  man  is  not 
fubjebl  to  the  lav/  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  he  be.1' 
(4)  That  corruption,  which  is  feated  in  the  will ,  wrouldj 
not  be  taken  away  by  an  illumination  of  the  under- 
ftanding  :  nor  doth  the  will  follow  the  laft  didfate  of 
the  practical  underftanding,  unlefs  it  dictates  agreea¬ 
bly  to  the  propenfity  of  the  will :  v.  g.  if  the  will  hath  a 
propgnfity  to  carnal  things,  and  the  underftanding 
fhould  judge,  in  the  fulleft  manner,  that  fpiticual  things 
at  this  very  time,  all  cireumftances  confidered,  wen 
to  be  proferred  •,  yet  the  will  would  not  follow  :  be 


caufe  the  will  accounts  that  only 


as  good , 


which  is 


Objeftions  in 
favour  of  the 
negative. 


agreeable  to  its  propenfity.  Nor  have  they,  who  arej 
of  the  contrary  opinion,  any  thing  to  objedl  here,  ex¬ 
cept,  (i )  That  upon  this  fuppofmon  the  jreedom  of  thr 
will  would  be  taken  away.  Which  objedtion  we  hav 
removed  in  folving  the  preceding  queftion.  (2)  Thai, 
the  will  always  follows  the  lajl  didlate  of  the  pradfica 
underftanding  ;  therefore,  were  the  underftanding  bu 
powerfully  enlightened,  fo  as  to  judge  that  fpiritua 


things. 


I 


On  Regeneration. 

things  were  better  for  them ,  than  any  fenfual  enjoy¬ 
ments  ;  the  will  muft  necefiarily  follow  :  And  there¬ 
fore  an  immediate  operation  of  God  upon  the  will 
feems  unneceftary,  were  the  underftanding  but  luffi- 
ciently  enlightened.  To  which  I  anfwer,  (i)  That; 
lad  attuai  dictate  of  the  practical  underftanding  doth  not 
take  away  that  habitual  corruption,  which  is  in  the 
•will.  (2)  That,  upon  the  whole,  is  good  to  the  will, 
which  is  agreeable  to  its  inclination  ;  wherefore,  if  the 
pradtical  judgment  determine  agreeably  to  this  incli¬ 
nation  of  the  will,  the  will  always  follows  •,  but  if 
contrary  thereto,  however  powerful  the  dictates  of  the 
underftanding  may  be  ;  yet  the  will  doth  not  obey: 
It  is  therefore  necefiary,  that  in  regeneration,  a  new 
propenfity  be  infufed  into  the  will  towards  fpiritual 
good,  that  the  pradtical  underftanding  may  didtate 
agreeably  thereto.'* 

XXVII. 

*  Prefident  Edwards  in  his  enquiry  into  the  freedom  of  the  will, 
p2ge  12.  Bofion  edition,  obferves  thus,  with  regard  to  the  will’s 
always  following  the  laft  di&ste  of  the  undemanding. 

“  It  appears  from  tbefe  things,  that  in  fome  ferfe,  the  nxjill al~ 
nxiayi  fot/ows  the  tail  diflate  of  the  underflandirg.  But  then  the  under- 
flanding  muH  be  taken  in  a  large  fenfe,  ss  including  the  whole 
faculty  of  perception  or  apprshenfion,  and  not  merely  what  is  cal¬ 
led  reajon  or  judgement.  If  by  the  diftste  of  the  uoderftanditsg  is 
meant  What  reslon  declares  to  be  bell  or  mo  ft  for  the  perfon’s  hap- 
pintfs,  taking  in  the  whole  of  his  duration,  it  is  pot  true  that 
the  will  always  follows  the  laft  dictate  of  the  undet  handing.  Such 
r  a  didtate  of  reafoa  is  quite  a  different  matter  frora  things  appear¬ 
ing  now  raoft  cgreeable  ;  all  things  being  put  together,  which  per¬ 
tain  to  the  minds  prefent  perceptions,  apprehenfiona  or  ideas,  in 
any  r^fpedt.  Altho’  that  didtate  of  reafon,  when  it  takes  place,  is 
jj  one  thing  that  is  put  into  the  feales,  and  is  to  be  confidered  as  a 
thing  that  has  concern  in  the  compound  influence  which  moves 
and  induces  the  will  ;  and  is  one  thing  that  is  to  be  confidered 
in  eftimating  the  degree  of  that  appearance  of  good  which  the  will 
always  follows",  either  as  having  its  influence  added  toother  things, 
or  fubdufted  from  them.  When  it  concurs  with  other  things,  then 
it’s  weight  is  added  to  them,  as  put  into  the  fame  Icale  ;  bet  when 
it  is  againft  them,  it  is  as  2  weight  in  the  oppofite  fcale,  where  it 
I;  refills  the  influence  of  other  things  :  yet  it’s  refinance  is  often  0- 
vereeme  by  their  greater  weight,  and  fa  the  aft  of  the  will  is  de¬ 
termined  in  oppofiiiou  to  it.  ’’ 


40 

0.5- 


he¬ 
me  r  revene- 
-  rat?  be  tr- 

leftibteor 
not. 

Different 

featiments. 


On 

XXVII.  Queft.  Fifth, 


Regeneration. 


Is  regeneratiou  irrefiftible 
or  nor  ?  The  rank  Pelagians  and  Socimans,  as  chcy 
allow  only  a  moral  operation  of  God  in  regeneration, 
and  fuppofe  the  free  will  of  man  to  be  equally  indif¬ 
ferent ,  either  to  receive,  or  to  rejedt  the  divine  influ¬ 
ence  ;  hold  it  to  be  rfifiible  :  The  Semi- Pelagians, 
with  the  Jefiiics  and  Arminians,  as  they  hold  the  re¬ 
generating  operation  t©  be  pbyjical  in  part,  as  it  refpedts 
the  underftanding  and  inferior  faculties  ;  and  only 
moral  in  part,  as  it  refpedts  the  will  ;  they  maintain! 
that  it  is  in  the  power  of  the  free  will,  fo  to  refill  the 
divine  operation,  that  regeneration  would  by  no  means 
he  effedted.  Some  among  the  Reformed  do  not  like 
the  term  irrefijiikle ,  tho’  they  admit  the  term  injuperable. 
We  have  allowed,  in  the  doctrinal  part,  that  the  moral 
fuafion  of  the  external  call,  and  alio  converfion,  lo  far 
as  it  is  effected  by  moral  fuafion,  is  refidibie  :  But  re¬ 
generation  we  affirm  o  be  abfolutely  irrefiftible  \  fori 
the  following  reafons,  [  i )  Regeneration  is  effected  by 
the  will  of  God,s  which  the  apofllc  Paul  exprefly  af- 
hiorrV'iV  kn*  “>'  be  irrefiftibleF  (2)  God  worketh  in  us  both 
1  Phil  2.  13.  to  will  and  *:o  do,1  asd  therein  taketh  away  all  incli- 
k  [ohBio.29.  nation  to  refill,  (3)  By  regeneration,  the  Father,  who 
^  John  6.  44-  js  grtaier  than  allf  draweth  thofe  who  are  regenerated.1 

And,  (f,  Draweth  them  by  the  fame  exceeding  greatnefs 
of  power,  by  which  he  raifed  Jsfus  from  the  dead."  (5) 
He  fo  draweth  in  regeneration,  that  they,  who  are1 
draw::,  do  infallibly  corned1  (6)  By  regeneration  he 
taketh  away  the  heart  or  done,  by  which  we  make  re¬ 
finance  to  the  divine  call.0  (7)  God  begeteth  us  by- 
regeneration, ?  which  act  a  man  can  no  more  refift, 
than  he  could  his  own  natural  generation.  (S)  B#  re¬ 
generation  God  quickeneth,  or  maketh  alive, q  which 
the  fubj’edt  of  regeneration  can  no  more  refill,  than  x 
dead  man  can  refill  his  being  raifed  to  a  natural  life, 
v  g.  no  more  thanLazarus  could  refiflChrifl/  (9)  It  a 
man  coa/sTrefift,  by  rcafonofthe  total  corruption  of  his 


Arguments 
of  the  •ortho 
dox. 


65. 

mEplf. 

20. 


1.  r  9. 


*  John  6.  37. 
with  v.  44. 

®  Ezek.  ii. 
19.  &  36.2^, 
36,  27. 
r  John  1.  13. 
\Eph.  2.  5. 


T.Jch»  It. 43 
44- 


raune. 


On  Regeneration.  4 1 

nature, s  he  would  continually  do  it.1  (10)  If  he  could  3  7  ’  9- 

refill,  and  yet  did  not  a&ually  refill  ;  he  w®uld  have  ®nci 
of  himfelf,  the  glory  of  not  refilling,  and  of  his  own  t  j.  5r. 
regeneration  \  and  fo  would  make  himjelf  to  differ,  con¬ 
trary  to  the  apoflle  Paul’s  affertion.1*  ^  1 1 )  If  any  one  »  i  Cor. 4.  7. 
could  at  his  pleafure  rejift  the  divine  agency  in  regene¬ 
ration,  then  all  could,  and  fo  it  might  be  the  cafe, 
that  not  one  would  be  regenerated,  and  thus  the  whole 
glorious  dcfign  of  redemption  might  be  fruflrated , 
contrary  to  the  apoftle  Paul’s  affertion, w  and  the  gol-  *2T'm.2.T$. 
den  chain  of  predeflination  be  broken.1  What  our  *  8.30. 

adverfaries  objedt  here  is  of  no  weight  at  all,  v.  g.  ( 1 )  ^tjt^’°^este 
They  allege  the  words  of  Stephen,  Ye  always  refift  the  r0£jox. 

Holy  GhoftS  To  which  I  anfwer  :  They  refilled  the  *  Acts  7.  51* 

Holy  Ghofl,  not  when  regenerating,  but  externally 

calling ,  and  that  not  indeed  immediately  ;  but  by  men, 

in  a  moral  way,  as  plainly  appears  from  the  following 

verfe,  Whom  of  the  prophets  have  not  your  fathers  perfecu- 

ted  ?  2.  They  allege  thefe  words  of  our  Saviour, 

How  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together ,  &e. 
and  ye  would  not  ?h  To  which  I  anfwer  :  By  the  ex-  kMath.23  37; 
preffion,  I  would  have  gathered  you ,  our  Saviour  doth 
not  mean,  by  the  exertion  of  a.  regenerating  power,  but 
by  calling  them  in  a  way  of  moral  fuafion,  as  the  pro¬ 
phets  did,  who  wete  fent  unto  them  for  this  purpofe , 
whom  they  floned.  3.  They  objedl  thele  words  from 
the  Pfalms,  O  that  my  people  had  hearkened  unto  me ,  and 
Ijrael  had  walked  in  my  ways .c  To  which  I  anfwer  :  <=  Pf.  h.  '14; 
The  text  plajnfy  fpeaks  of  refinance  made  not  to  re¬ 
generation  ;  but  to  the  external  call :  as  appears 
from  v.  9.  to  12.  They  objedl,  4.  What  is  laid  in 
Ifaiah,  What  could  I  have  done  more  to  my  vineyard ,  that 
I  have  not  done  in  it  ?d  To  which  I  anfwer:  The  prophet  a  ifa.  ^ 
is  fpeaking,  ( t )  of  the  benefits  purchafed  by  Chri ft 
for  the  church  in  general,  not  of  that  fpecial  benefit, 
which  is  purchafed  {or  each  of  the  eledl  in  particular. 

{2)  He  is  fpeaking  of  external  means,  not  of  the  grace 

F  ®f 


42 


tion  to  rcgc 
■Ecration 


On  "Regeneration. 

of  regeneration  which  is  internal.  They  objedl,  5. 
That,  upon  this  fuppofition,  no  one  can  be  regenera¬ 
ted,  but  thofe  who  adlually  are  fo.  To  which  I  an- 
fwer  :  With  refpedl  to  man ,  it  is  true,  no  one  can  be 
regenerated,  but  he  who  actually  is  fo  ;  becaufe  all 
are  dead  in  fin  :  but,  with  refpedi  to  God ,  all  things 
•Mat.  19.36.  are  poffible.'  They  objedt,  6.  That  upon  this  fcheme, 
they  who  refill  do  the  will  of  God.  To  which  I  an- 
fwer  :  They  refill  the  preceptive  will  of  God,  which 
only  prefcribes  to  rational  creatures  their  duty  ;  but 
they  do  not  refill  the  decretive  will  of  God,  which  go¬ 
verns  the  event. 

Q  6  Wbe-  XXVIII.  Quell.  Sixth.  Doth  regeneration  admit 
th«r  there  be  of  any  preparation  ?  The  Pelagians  and  Semi-Pelagi- 
any  prepara-  ans,  with  all  their  followers,  the  Socinians,  Jefuits  and 
Arminians,  maintain  the  affirmative  ;  becaufe  they 
hold  that  the  efficacy  of  converting  grace  depends 
upon  the  freewill  of  man  •,  and  fuppofe  that  tne  is  by 
nature  more  prepared  for  converting  grace  than  ano¬ 
ther  ;  or  that  he  can  thus  prepare  himfelf  by  his  own 
power.  The  Reformed  admit  indeed  of  preparations 
in  regeneration,  taken  in  a  large  fenfe,  to  fignify  the 
fame  asconverfion  ;  thus  Perkins  in  his  Cafes  of  Con¬ 
fidence,  Sedt.  I.  Ch.  v.  vi.  xi.  Dr.  Ames  in  his  Caf. 
Con.  Lib.  II.  Ch.  iv.  How  far  preparations  may  be 
admitted,  and  how  far  not,  we  have  explained  in  the 
doRrinal  part,  §  XIX.  viz.  That  regeneration,  under¬ 
flood  to  fignify  only  the  frjt  implantation  of  the  fpi- 
ritual  life,  admits  of  no  preparations,  excepting  what 
arifeth  from  the  offers  and  moral  invitations  of  the 
external  call  of  the  gofpel  ;  if  you  chufe  to  call  that  a 
preparation  ;  becaufe  the  firll  implantation  of  the  fpi- 
iitual  life  is  effedted  in  a  moment,  juft  as  a  refurredtion 
to  a  natural  life  is ;  nor  can  there  be  any  middle  ftate 
between  fpiritual  life  and  fpiritual  death. 

Q^.Wfcetlief  XXIX.  Quell.  Seventh.  Can  regeneration  once 
can™'1  ever  ever  be  wktily  loft  ?  The  Pelagians,  with  all 

wholly  loll*  ’  '  th© 


43 


On  Regeneration, 

the  favourers  of  Pelagianifm,  maintain  the  affirmative ; 
becaufe  they  ftrenuoufly  hold  to  fuch  a  free  will  in 
man,  as  can  either  dived  itfelf  of  grace  received,  or 
receive  it  at  plcafure,  (with  whom,  in  this  point  at 
lead,  the  Lutherans  agree  ;  as  they  hold  that  one 
truly  regenerate  may  totally  fall  from  grace/  The 
Reformed  hold  it  can  never  be  wholly  lod  ;  but  this 
they  fuppofe  to  depend,  not  upon  the  power  of  the  re¬ 
generate,  but  upon  God’s  immutable  decree  of  election , 
and  his  almighty  upholding  power  :  which  is  evident 
from  the  following  reafons,  (i )  The  feed  of  the  rege¬ 
nerate  is  faid  to  abide  in  them/  ( 2 )  It  is  faid  of  the 
regenerate,  in  confequence  of  their  being  endowed 
with  a  heart  of flefh ,  that  they  fhall  walk  in  God’s  da- 
tutes ffball  keep  his  judgments  and  do  them.  ('3)  It 
is  evident  from  the  infeperable  connection  there  is  be¬ 
tween  prededination  and  glorification/  (4)  The  foun¬ 
dation  of  God  Jlandetb  Cure ,  having  this  fed,  The  Lord 
knoweth  them  that  are  his.1  (5)  The  truth  of  God  dands 
engaged  for  the  perfeverence  of  the  regenerate/  Nor 
doth  it  help  our  adverfaries  to  objeCt,  fi)  That  a 
righteous  man  may  turn  from  his  righteoufnefs.1  For 
I  anlwer  :  The  prophet  is  fpeaking  here,  [1]  of  a 
natural  power  \ds  petentia  caufa,)  by  which,  even  the 
truly  righteous  confidered  in  themfelves,  can  fall  from 
grace  ;  but,  not  of  what  will  actually  take  place  (de 
potentia  effeflus)  as  tho’  they,  who  are  upheld  by  God, 
could  fall  away  into  total  apodacy.  [2]  The  prophet 
Ipeaks  conditionally ,  if  the  righteous  man  fhould  turn, 
he  would  die  ;  and  not  'abfolutely,  that  a  truly  righte¬ 
ous  perfon  can  actually  fall  away.  But,  [3]  The  pro¬ 
phet  doth  not  fpeak  of  the  truly  righteous,  or  thofe 
who  are  internally  fo  by  regeneration,  converfion  and 
fanCtification,  who  never  can  fall  away ;  u  but  of  thofe 
who  were  righteous  in  appearance  only,  or  in  their  own 
eftimation.* (2)  Our  adverfaries  infid  upon  there  be¬ 
ing  indances  of  thofe  who  have  finally  fallen  away  i 

as 


Rofons  of 
(he  orthodox. 

f  1  John  3.9, 


c  Ezek.  36. 
*6,  27. 
fc  Rom.  8  30. 

1  2Tim.2.r  9. 
fc  1  Pet.  1. 3,4, 
j.Johpio.rS, 
29. 

1  Ezek. 3.  20. 
and  18.  24. 
Objections  of 
the  hetero¬ 
dox. 


■  Pf.  37.  17 
18.  to.  24 
J25.  1.  2.  ; 
1  Math.  9.  3 
with  Luks 
it.  9.  10. 


44 


On  Regeneration. 


m  2  T '  m .  4 

*  i  Tim. 
19.  20. 

•  I  Johug 


10 

1. 


hiiT% 


1  John  17.12.  as  Judas,  1  Dcmas,  m  Hymeneus  and  Alexander  :*  To 
which  I  anfwer.  It  remains  ro  be  proved  that  they 
were  ever  truly  regenerated ;  this  text  is  exprefly  a- 
gainft  it  IVhofoever  is  born  of  Gcd  doth  not  commit  fin , 
for  his  feed  remaineth  in  him ,  and  he  cannot  fin  •,  becaufe  he 
is  hern  cj  God.  They  object  (3)  That  there  are  cer¬ 
tainly  inflances  of  the  truly  regenerate,  who  have  fal¬ 
len  from  grace,  in  the  drunkennefs  of  Noah,  the 
adultery  and  murther  of  David,  Peter’s  denying  his 
Lord,  &c.  To  which  I  anfwer.  They  omitted,  or  ra-, 
ther  neglefted  fome  fecond  afts  or  exerciles  of  the  fpi- 
r’uual  life  ;  but  they  never  wholly  loft  the  firft  aft  or 
?  Pfal.51.  13.  principle,  which  was  beftowed  in  regeneration.  f  They 
objeft,  (4)  It  the  regenerate  cannot  iofe  the  grace  of 
regeneration,  they  would  ceafe  to  be  free  agents.  To 
which  I  anfwer,  The  confequence  by  no  means  fol- 
^ows'»  fince  the  conftantjprefeijc^^f  the  fpiritual  life 
/  ^  in  the  will  rather  confirmsffih.  liberty  of  it. 

0  8  Whether  XXX.  Queft.  Eighth.  Whether  regeneration  be  %ni- 
regeneration  verjal.  or  whether  all  men  are  regenerated  ?  All  the 
be  uraverlal.  Papifts,  as  well  the  Dominicans,  as  the  Jefuits,  (as 
they  fuppofe  jufficient grace  given  to  every  man,  where¬ 
by  he  can  be  faved)  do,  in  effeft,  hold  regeneration  to 
be  univerfal,  (fince  according  to  the  feriptures,  in  re¬ 
generation  properly  fo  called,  there  is  conferred  only 
a  power  to  perform  fpiritual  good,  as  we  have  fhewn 
under  the  doflrinal  part.)  However,  in  the  explanati-' 
on  of  this  fufftcient  grace,  they  greatly  differ.  The 
Dominicans  indeed  fuppofe  that  fujficient  grace  is  gi¬ 
ven  to  all  ;  but  yet  fuch  as  cannot  put  forth  i tie] f  into 
afiual  exercife,  without  efficacious  grace  preceeding  : 
But  the  Jefuits  hold  to  fufficient  grace,  whofe  efficacy 
depends  upon  the  free  will  of  every  man.  The  rank 
Pelagians  and  Socinians,  as  they  make  regeneration  to 
confift  in  a  reformation  of  manners^  fuppofe  finners  have 
by  nature ,  that  power,  whereby  they  can  regenerate 
themfeives,  or  reform  their  moral  conduit  :  But  they 

do 


Differ  r>t 
fentiments; 


On  Regeneration.  45 

do  not  fuppofe  that  an  aHual  reformation  of  manners 
takes  place  in  every  one  -,  but  only  in  thofe,  who  will 
to  reform  their  moral  conduct.  They  exprefly  ex¬ 
clude  regeneration  from  infants ,  both  on  account  of 
their  having  no  inherent  fin,  and  alfo  on  account  of 
their  incapacity,  from  the  want  of  reafon,  to  reform 
their  moral  conduct.  Among  the  Reformed  who  hold 
to  univerfal  grace,  there  are  fome  who  fuppofe,  that 
by  the  grace  of  God  power  is  rejlored  to  all ,  and  every 
man,  whereby  they  can  be  faved,  if  they  will  •,  altho* 
there  is  given  to  the  ek£l  alone  chat  power,  by  which 
they  are  adtually  made  willing.  The  renowned  Coc- 
ceius,  altho’  he  doth  not  deny  that  regeneration  took 
place  under  the  old  teftament  ;  yet  in  the emphatical 
fenfe  of  it,  he  confines  it  to  new  teffament  times.  The  The  general 
general  opinion  of  the  Reformed  is,  that  the  grace  of  ^"reformed 
regeneration  is  in  the  higheft  i’enfe  peculiar  to  all  the 
defl ;  and  they  fuppofe  alfo  that  even  infants  are  fome- 
times  the  fubjedts  of  it,  which  they  fupport  by  the  fol¬ 
lowing  reafons,  (1)  The  feriptures,  as  often  as  they 
make  mention  of  regeneration,  extend  it,  not  to  all 
promifeuoufly  ;  but  to  the  ele£l  only/  and  that,  (2) 

To  the  exdufion  of  all  others/  (3)  The  feriptures  ex- 
prefly  declare,  there  are  fome  who  have  not  this  power 
which  is  conferred  in  regeneration/  Yea,  (4)  The 
feriptures  do  extend  regeneration  particularly  to  in¬ 
fants /  Nor  can  any  place  of  feripture  be  produced 
by  our  adverfaries  to  the  contrary,  which  tefti fieth, 
either  that  regeneration,  the  fpiritual  life,  a  power  of 
performing  fpiritual  good,  or  lufficient  grace  is  grant¬ 
ed  to  all  and  every  one. 

XXXI.  Queft.  Ninth.  Whether  regeneration  be 
nectffarily  connected  with  bapeifm  ?  The  Socinians  right-  ther  ’regeiie- 
ly  deny  it  ;  but  upon  a  wrong  hypothefis,  that  the  ration  be  ne* 
baptifm  of  water  is  but  an  indifferent  rite,  introduced  cena”.ly  c<?"/ 
by  the  apoftles,  without  the  command  of  Chrift,  hav-  bapdfe  "U 
ing  no  ufe  or  efficacy.  The  Anabaptifts  likewife 


with  their 
reafons. 

•i  1  Pat.  r.  3, 
Eph.2.3.4,5. 
James  i.  IS. 
John  3.3—8. 

John  6.  41, 
44-  64.  65. 

Rom.  8.  7. 
Jer.  13.  23. 

Jer.  1.  5. 
Luke  1.  1 
2Tim.  3.  15. 


Q^9  Whe¬ 


lm. 


46  On  Regeneration . 

deny  it,  who  allow  no  ufe  or  efficacy  of  baptifm,  but 
that  of fignifying  the  church  covenant,  and  diftinguifti- 
ing  thofe  who  are  in  that  covenant ,  from  thofe  who  are 
without.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Papifts,  in  order  to 
maintain  that  the  facraments  of  the  new  teftament 
beget  grace  ex  cpere  operato ,  or  of  their  own  proper 
virtue  ;  hold  that  the  baptifm  of  water  effedts  rege¬ 
neration,  hence  they  frequently  ufe  baptifm  and  rege¬ 
neration  to  fignify  the  lame  thing.  The  Lutherans 
do  not  indeed  atribute  any  regenerating  efficacy  to  the 
baptifmal  water  •,  however  they  fo  confine  the  rege¬ 
nerating  influences  of  the  fpirit  to  baptifm,  that  they 
fuppofe  no  one  can  ordinarily  be  regenerated  without 
it.  The  Reformed,  tho’  they  unanjmoufly  hold  that 
there  is  no  phyfical  regenerating  efficacy  in  baptifm  ; 
but  only  a  moral  efficacy,  which  confifts  in  its  being  a 
fign  and  fcal  of  regeneration  and  alfo  that  the  grace 
of  regeneration  is  not  confined  to  any  facrament ;  and 
yet  that  baptifm  is  not  a  mere  naked,  ufelefs  fign,  but 
a  moft  efficacious  fealing  of  the  covenant  of  grace  and 
of  regeneration,  to  thofe  who  receive  it  agreeably  to  it’s 
inftitution,  and  alio  to  the  eleft  infants  of  believers  : 
yet  as  to  the  manner  and  time  of  it’s  becoming  effec¬ 
tual  they  fomewhat  differ.  Indeed  as  to  the  baptifm 
of  adults ,  chat,  if  rightly  adminiftered,  doth,  by  the 
confent  of  all  the  orthodox,  certainly  prefuppofe  rege¬ 
neration  as  already  effected  •,  becaufe  it  exprefly  re¬ 
quires  faith  ef  the  fubjedt  of  baptifm,  and  fuch  faith 
■AiliS. 36  37  indeed  as  proceeds  from  the  whole  heart  f  which  can- 
1  not  take  place  without  a  previous  regeneration  :  for 
whatfoever  is  born  of  the  fldh,  is  fiefh  ;  and  whatfo- 
k  John  3,  6.  ever  is  born  of  the  fpirit  is  fpirit.1*  But  as  to  the  bap¬ 
tifm  of  infants ,  here  the  orthodox  are  divided  ;  fome 
deny  that  regeneration  can  precede  baptifm,  which 
therefore,  as  they  fuppofe,  only  feals  regeneration  as 
future ,  when  the  dedi  infant  fhail  arrive  to  years  of 
diferetion,  fo  as  to  be  capable  of  faith  and  repentance  ; 

,  thus 


47 


On  Regeneration. 

thus  the  celebrated  Amyraldus.  But  he  inaccurately 
confounds  regeneration ,  which  bellows  the  fpiritua!  file 
in  the  firji  a6t  or  principle,  (by  which  the  infant  is  ef¬ 
fectually  enabled,  when  he  arrives  to  the  exrrcife  of 
realon,  to  believe  and  repent,)  with  converfion  ;  which 
includes  the  tiiual  exercifes  of  faith  arid  repentance.; 
which  cannot  take  place  before  the  years  of  diferetion. 
Others,  frorp  modefty  declining  to  determine  the  point, 
think  it  depends  on  the  fevereign  will  of  God,  whe¬ 
ther  to  beftow  regeneration  before  baptifm,  at  the  time 
of  its  adminiftration,  or  afterwards  ;  thus  Zanchv  in 
hisCommen.  upon  Eph.  v.  in  a  digreffion  concerning 
baptifm  ;  and  Ames  in  his  Bellarminus  enervatus 
Tom.  III.  XIV.  Queft.  III.  Spanheim  the  father  in 
his  Dub.  Evang.  Fart  III.  Dub.  XXVII.  Others 
chufe  to  think  that  regeneration  is  effected  at  the  very 
time  of  baptifm,  ordinarily  at  leaft  :  Thus  Lewis  Le 
Blanc,  with  the  Papifts  and  Lutherans,  who  fuppofe 
this  always  to  be  the  cafe,  thus  the  celebrated  Peter 
Jurieu,  Beza,  and  others.  The  common  opinion  of 
the  Reformed  is,  that  the  baptifm  of  infants  (at  leaft 
of  the  debt )  prefuppofes  regeneration  as  already  effec¬ 
ted  •,  becaufe  that  which  is  not,  cannot  be  fealed  by 
baptifm.  And  this  opinion  appears  to  me  molt  agree¬ 
able  to  truth.  Befure  baptifm  itfelf  doth  not  effeh  re¬ 
generation,  as  the  Papifts  fuppofe  ;  Nor  are  the  rege¬ 
nerating  influences  ot  the  Holy  Spirit  confined  to  exter¬ 
nal  baptifm,  as  the  Lutherans  would  have  it.  Be¬ 
caufe,  fi)  The  efficacy  ot  baptifm  confifts  in  \thfealing , 
agreeably  to  the  nature  of  all  facraments  fofar  as  they 
are ficals  -,c  which  prefuppofes  regeneration,  as  the  prin- 
ple  of  faith  Becaufe,  (2)  The  pollution  of  the  foul 
is  not  purged  away  by  the  baptifm  of  water/  therefore 
regeneration  is  not  confined  thereto.  And,  fj)  If 
this  was  the  cafe,  all  the  baptized  would  be  regenerate, 
and  that,  at  the  very  time  of  their  baptifm.  :  Againft 
which  the  feriptures  fpeak/  and  alfo  experience  fhews, 

that 


The  general 

opinion  of 
the  efoimed, 
with  their 
resfons, 


*  Rom.  4.  n. 
15 1  Pet.  3.  21. 


•  AS?  8.  i3. 

20,  21.  23, 


«9<i* 


48 


9  Arts  S.  36. 
7* 

Afts  1©.  2. 
22.  hI<ukc23. 


*  R®tn.2.  25. 
27,  28. 

*  iCor.  10.3. 
4.  kiCor.i  1. 
27.  'Heh.  9. 
10  Sc  ch  10  4. 

“Marki6  16. 
a  J<yhn  8. 
Objefliens. 

•John  3.  3.5. 


*  Mat.  3.  11. 


*  John  3.6.S 


s  Adis  2  2.^6 
'Tit.  3.  5. 
*i  Pet.  3.  21 


0«  Regeneration. 

that  many  baptized  peifons  live  mod  abandoned  lives,! 
and  are  not  finally  faved.  We  read  alfo  of  perfons  1 
regenerated  before  their  baptifm,  as  the  Eunuch/  the  ' 
Centurion  and  his  family  ■/  yea,  of  thofe  who  were 
never  baptized  at  all,  as  the  thief  upon  the  crofs  •/  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  common  oblervation,  that  it  is  not  the 
want  of  baptifm ,  but  the  contempt  of  it  that  is  damning. 
("4)  Regeneration  is  iimiced  to  no  facrament,  not  to 
circumcifionf  not  to  the  pajfcverf  not  to  theLord’s /up¬ 
per  ,k  nor  to  any  legal  wafhings,1  therefore  not  to  bap¬ 
tifm,  fince  ’tis  exprefly  laid,  that  even  a  baptized  per- 
fon,  if  he  believes  not,  fhal!  be  damned.™  I  will  only 
add,  (c,)  That  the  Holy  Ghofl  is  faid  to  regenerate 
according  to  his  fovereign  pleafure  ;  as  the  windblow- 
eth  where  it  lifleth,  fo  is  every  one  born  of  the  Spirit."  ’Tis 
however  alleged  in  favour  of  the  contrary  fide,  (1) 
That  Chrift  hath  infeperably  connected  regeneration 
with  water  and  the  fpirit/  To  which  I  anlwer  :  He 
doth  not  mean  the  external  water  of  baptilm,  which 
at  that  time  w.as  not  inftituted  as  an  ordinary  and  uni- 
verfal  facrament  of  the  new-tefUment  5  but  by  r 
HendiadiSy  he  means  the  water  of  the  Spirit,  or  the  Sj. 
rit  cleanfing,  like  water,  in  the  work  of  regeneration. 
In  like  manner  it  is  faid,  he  will  baptize  you  with  the 
Holy  Ghod  and  with  fire/  i.  e.  with  the  Spirit,  having 
the  purifying  quality  of  fire  ;  which  our  Saviour  fut- 
ficiently  fhews  to  be  his  meaning,  when  he  aferibes  re¬ 
generation  to  the  Spirit  alone  :b  Compare  herewith 
what  hath  been  faid  upon  this-point  in  the  explanatory 
part.  ’Tis  alleged,  (2)  That  the  wafhing  away  of 
fin,’  regeneration,  r  and  falvation  *  are  aferibed  to 
baptifm  ;  therefore  baptifm  either  works  regeneration 
by  it’s  own  virtue,  or  at  leaft  the  Holy  Spirit  hath 
inleperably  connected  his  regenerating  influences  there¬ 
with.  To  which  I  anfwer  ;  Neither  of  thefe  is  the 
cafe  ;  but  only  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  baptifm, 
fealeth  regeneration  to  the  eled:  ;  as  we  have  already, 

o'bferved. 


49 


On  Regeneration . 

obferved.  (3)  They  argue  on  the  other  fide  from  this 
text,  Know  ye  not ,  /a  0/  us  as  were  baptized 

into  Jefus  Chrijl ,  baptized  into  his  death  fx  To  which  t  Roni.  5.  3, 

I  anlwer  :  This  text  means  only  that  all  the  eiedt, 
being  true  believers,  baptized  according  to  inftitution, 
have  communion  and  participation  in  the  death  of 
Chrift,  which  is  fealed  to  them  by  baptifm  :  Bur  it  is 
not  faid  that  this  communion  is  effected  particularly 
by  baptifm,  much  lefs,  that  this  communion  is  abso¬ 
lutely  connected  with  baptifm.  ’Tis  argued,  ( 4 .)  As 
many  as  are  baptized  into  Chrift,  put  on  Chri/t,  confe- 
quently  are  regenerated.*  To  which  I  anlwer  :  The  «  Gal.  3.27. 
text  doth  not  lay  that  they  put  on  Chrift  by  baptifm  ; 
but  that  they,  who  are  baptized,  had  before  put  on 
Chrift.  Since  therefore  communion  with  Chrift, 
which  is  fignified  by  the  term  of  putting  on  Chrift, 
hath  been -already  effected  in  baptized  perfons,  ’tis  not 
effected  by  baptifm  ;  but  being  already  effected,  is 
fealed  by  this  iacrament.  (5)  *Tis  argued  by  thofe  of 
the  contrary  opinion,  that  theirs  is  the  received  opi¬ 
nion  of  the  fathers,  and  alfo  of  eminent  men  among 
'the  Reformed  themfelves,  v.  g.  of  Auftinand  Profper 
among  the  Fathers,  of  Pareus,  Davenant,  Ward  and 
Forbes  among  the  Reformed.  To  which  I  anfwer  : 

The  Fathers,  whenever  they  {peak  of  baptifm,  are 
wont  to  ufe  very  ftrong  expreftions  ;  nevertheiefs,  they 
very  often  fuppefe  regeneration  and  faith  as  previous 
to  baptifm  :  Thus  Juftin  Martyr,  reprefenting  the 
practice  of  the  primitive  church,  faith,  '•'■Whoever  have 
been  perfuaded  and  have  believed— and  have  received  power 
fo  to  live — are. then  brought  by  us  to  the  water  and  are 
regenerated  ,  after  the  fame  mode  of  regeneration,  in 
which  we  ourfelves  have  been  regenerated The  Fathers 
therefore  can  by  no  means  be  reconciled  with  each 
Other,  without  a  diftindtion  of  regeneration  into  real , 
which  precedes  baptifm,  and  Jacramental  which  confifts 
in  a  folcmn  profeffion,  declaration  and  fealing  of  that, 

G  which 


50  On  Regeneration. 

which  Is  real.  In  which  fenfc  the  Reformed  divines 
alfo  hold  that  regeneration  is  effe&ed  by  baptifm. 

The  Practical  Part. 

Pra&ical  in-  XXXI’I.  You  Vvill  now  perhaps,  reader,  promife 
ftrii&ioa.j  yourlelf  a  very  large  application  of  this  important 
fubjeft,  fince  pra&ical  writers  have  fo  much  exerted 
*hemfelves  upon  it.  But,  if  I  (hall  not  fully  anfwer 
your  expectations*'  you  will  confider  thefe  two  things, 
-(i)  Tholeiipraetical  writers  treat  the  fubjeCt  of  rege¬ 
neration  in  a  larger'it nie,  as,  comprehending  the  whole 
internal  operation  of  the.  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  re¬ 
deemed,  in  which  are  contained  vocation,  ipiritual 
quickening,  converfion  and  fan&ification  ;  whiift  we 
have  taken  it  in  a  drifter  fenfe,  as  denoting  only  the 
beftowment  of  the  firjl  aft  or  principle  of  Ipiritual  life  : 
.Hence  they  bring  under  regeneration  thofe  things 
which  properly  belong  to  converfion  and  fan&ification. 
Ir  the  reader  is  pleafed  to  confider  this  fubjeCt  in  the 
fame  latitude  with  them  ;  he  may,  without  much  dif-‘ 
-ficulty,  apply  here,  what  is  Paid,  by  way  of  improve¬ 
ment,,  under  the  heads  of  converfion  and  fan&ification. 
(2)  It  is 'to  be  confidered  here,  that  th t  firjl  a&  of 
life  is  conferred,  only  in  order  to  the  fecond  a&s,  as 
habits  are  only  in  order,  to  their  fecond  acts  or  exer- 
•cifes  ;  nor  can  it  be  known  or  difcerned,  but  by  the 
exereifss  of  it  :  -<and. .alio  that  an  unregenerate  perlon 
cannot  ftriYOiiobfeget  life  in  himfelf,  or  cannot  difpofe 
himfeif  thereto,  lince  he  is  merely  pajfwe  in  the  recep- 
tioh  , of  the.  fpiritoal  life  :  Wherefore-  you  will  not 
wonder,  if  we  do  not  labour  lo  much  upon  the  prac¬ 
tical  part  of  this  fubjeCt.  However  the  fubjeft  of  re¬ 
generation  teacheth  us, 

1  TfiU  fub-  XXXIII.  Firjl.  How  great  a  woik  it  is  to  recover 
jea  teaehea  the  finner  to  life  ;  fo  that  reafon,  not  without  caufe, 
hyw  Rreac  a  enquires  with  Nicodemus,  How  can  a  man  be  born  agftn 
" °nuer  'the0  w^en  *s  ?'v  And  juftly  were  theapoftlesaftonifh- 
friner  to  life,  ed,  upon  a  fimilar  topic,  when  they  cried  out,  Who 
y  John  3.  4.  then 


On  Regeneration,  51 

tien  can  be  faved  ?*  For  if  you  confider  the  fubjeet,  *  Mat.19.25. 
who  is  to  be  made  alive  \  he  is  fpiritually  dead,  dead  b^.pht' 
in  fin  -,a  who  feeing  doth  not  fee ,  and  hearing  doth  not 
hear,  or  mdcrfiandf  If  you  confider  the  work  ilfelf,  cjohn  3.3. 5. 
this  is  effedled  only  by  a  fecond  generation f  a  creation ,d  dP-feim5i.i2. 
quickening ,e  taking  away  the  heart  ofjlone,  putting  within  fp^',nz  2 1  °g 
a  heart  of  flejh,  writing  the  law  of  God  upon  the  heart  ,f  r  jfzek.  ^6- 
or  by  a  renovation  of  the  whole  man.8  If  you  confider  25,  26, 
the  manner  of  operation,  this  requireth  in  the  author  of  ®  2  Cor. 5  17. 
it,  1(1)  Infinite  power,  st  fuper abundant greatnefs  of power ,h  p  •I-19-2° 
as  great,  and,  if  poffible,  even  greater, .  than  was  ex- 
ercifed  in  creation  :  Becaufe  there  was  hot  only  no 
neceffity,  in  order  to  creation,  of  the  death  of  the  Son 
of  God,  as  there  is  in  the  reftoring  of  a  finner  to  life  r 
But  there  was  no  contrary  difpofition  of  the  object, 
fuch  as  an  heart  of  ftorie,  which  knows  not  howto  be¬ 
lieve,,  fuperable  by  nothing  fhort  of  infinite  ftrength  : 

As  great  a  power  alfo  is  neceffary,  as  was  required  to 
raife  the  dead.*  (2)  It  requires  in  the  author  of  rege-  i  Eph.  1.  2®. 
neration,  infinite  or  exhauftlefs  goednefs  and  mercy, k  kEph.2.  4.5.- 
by  which,  that  we  may  not  all  perijh  eternally  by  the  and  ch-3>8-9- 
fir (l  generation,  he  is  pleafed  to  add  a  fecond  And  left, 
by  the  frfl  life,  we  contradl  eternal  death,  he  is  pleafed 
to  add  the  fecond  :  And  that  our  fouls  may  not  be 
dead  in  living  bodies,  he  is  pleafed  to  reftore  to  them 
the  fpiritual  life  loft  by  fin.  It  requires,  (3)  Infinite, 
of’  the  meft  abfolute  fovereignty  ; 1  hereby,  palfing  by  'Rem  .9. 
whom  he  will,  he  beftows  the  fpiritual  life  on  whom  J6-  l8- 
*  he  pleafes  :  paffing  by  for  the  moft  part,  the  more  no¬ 
ble,  and  as  it  were  the  more  worthy ,  he  beftows  it  on 
the  more  mean  and  contemptible,1"  and  of  materials  in  »  1  Cor.  1  -2$. 
themfelves  fo  unfiuitable ,  he  is  pleafed  to  rear  an  edi-  — 29. 
fice  fo  magnificent.  As  appears  in  the  cafe  of  ZacheuS® n  L 1 9 ■  f* 
—  f  Paul  ° — of  the  harlots  in  preference  to  the  repu  o'  t  T 
, table  Pharifees.p  Regeneration  inculcates  the  grfeat-  13'.  14, 
nefs  of  the  work  of  reftoring  a  finner  to  life ,  'for  thele  p  21.31-. 
ends,  (ij  That  we  might  more  particularly  acknow¬ 
ledge 


l 


52 


On  "Regeneration . 

ledge,  what  great  obligations,  we  are  under  to  God,  that 
he  hath  regenerated  and  brought  us  into  a  date  of  life, 
while  fo  many  thogfands  are  paffed  by,  and  that  we 
might  (hew  ourfe'lves  more  ready  to  make  grateful  rc- 
i  iTim.i.tj,  turns.5  (2)  That,  on  account  of  the  infinite  power, 
goodnefsand  benevolence,  which  God  hath  exhibited 
in  our  regeneration,  we  might  be  the  more  careful  to 

*  j  j,  live  to  his  glory.'  (3)  That  with  regard  to  our  future 

happlnefs,  we  might  more  humbly  depend  upon  his 
grace ,  and  work  out  our  falvation  with  fear  and  trem¬ 
bling  ;  becaufe  it  is  God  alone,  who  worketh  in  us  both 
B  Phil.  2.  13,  to  wilt  and  to  do.‘  (4)  Thac  we  might  not,  from  our 
date’s  being  better  than  that  of  others,  exalt  ourfelves 
tLuke  18  n.  above  them  ;*  that  we  might  not  boajlf  fince  it  is  God 

*  Eph.  2.  5.  alone ,  who,  by  regeneration,  makes  us  to  differ  from 

the  worft  of  mankind  •,  and  whatever  good  we  have 
w  1  C°r*4  7*  above  them,  we  derive  it  wholly  from  him.’"'  (5) 
That  we  might  not  wonder  if  the  mod;  powerful  ar¬ 
guments  to  converfion,  ufed  by  men,  have  not  always 
anl  werable  fuccefs  ;  fince  it  is  not  cj  Pau!y  that  plant- 
eth ,  nor  rfpollos,  that  water eth,  but  of  God,  that  givetb  tbs 
*iCor.j.6y.  itcreafe  ;x  tor  the  Spirit,  in  his  regenerating  influences, 

8  Tohn  3.  8.  blowetb  where  he  lijieth-f  a»d  the  natural  man  is  natu- 
b  Eph,  2.  1.5.  rail  y  dead  in  fin  -,b  and  the  Father  draweth  not  all  pro- 
,  t  .  <  mifcuoudy.c  (6)  Thac  we  might  not  readily  deipair 
64.  6;.  or  the  converlion  of  any  one,  however  great  his  oppoi 
dzTim  2.-25.  fition  thereto  may  be  ;d  for  the  Spirit  is  able  to  rege- 
*6-  nerate  and  quicken  him,  when  it  feemeth  good  in  his 

fight. 

2.  It  recom  XXXIV.  Secondly.  This  fubjed  recommends  to  us 
rncidS]  ^f^u*  the  happy  condition  of  thofe,  who,  with  fo  much  dif- 
n^fs  b0;  the"  ficulty,  have  been  brought,  by  regeneration,  to  a  fpi- 
regenerate.  mua!  life  :  Blejfed be  God — who  hath  begotten  us  to  a  lively 
*  '  Pet.  1.  3.  hope  * — For,  ( 1 )  they  are  born  not  efJLJh ,  nor  of  the  will 
e  L  ^e  l7>  Tnai}'‘  f  (2)  They  are  made  alive  from  the 

(3)  They  are  by  way  of  eminence  the  work- 
100.  3.  com-  manfhip  of  God  f  in  a  peculiar  manner  produced  by  j 

pared  with  him» 

Qtut.  32.  6. 


On,  Regeneration. 


53 


him.*  (4)  They  are  new  creatures ,k  in  many  refptds  1j4' 

more  excellent  than  any  other  creature.  For  whilft  t  pfs °[04 
every  other  creature  flows  from  the  common  good nefs  ancl  ,4J.  q. 
of  the  Creator  j1  this  new  creature ^flows  from  his  fin-  “  Eph.z.  4  5. 
gular  grace  & nd  promife.1"  Whilft  every  other  creature 
performs  the  work  of  common  providence  -,n  this  new  R  17. zs- 
creature  performs  the  work  of  gracious  predeftination.0 1  ^cm  g  . 
Whilft  every  other  rejoices,  only  in  the  natural  bene-  j0.jam.  i-iS. 
fits  of  God  this  new  creature  is  loaded  with  Ipritual 
buffings. p  (cf)  Inftead  of  an  infenfible,  Jlonty  heart,  p  PC47.S.  & 
they  have  a  heart  of  Jleth,  eafily  affeded,  which  carries  ^7'  _r5* 

the  law  of  God  written  upon  it.’  ( 6 )  From  perlons  eh  ,  ^ 
dead,  they  are  become  fpiritualiy  alive.1  (7)  They  s  Ezek.  36. 
carry  about  them  the  Divine  Image,  which  is  reftored 
to  them,  which  is  their  peculiar  prerogative,  h.  e.  en-  ?  -2-45- 
righteoujnefs .*  And  what  is  more,  (8)  They  are  *  Eph.  4.  73. 
made  partakers  of  a  nature .*  Yea,  by  regene-  t2+"  p^1'3’10’ 

ration,  fince  they  are  born  of  God,'1  they  become  the  „joh®  1! ’  i\' 
children  of  God  ;  not  only  by  adoption,  or  declaration ,  &  1  job.  5.14. 
as  Jacob  the  patriarch  adopted  Ephraim  and  Manaf- 
feth  C  but  alio  by  a  fpiritual  generation.  How  are  the  w Gen.  48.  5. 
regenerate  enabled  hereby  !x  How  glorious  is  their  in-  x  1  John  31* 
beritance  !x  How  great  is  the  liberty  of  the  fons  of  apv0m  g  , 
God  !b  How  free  their  a ccefs  to  God  in  every  difficul-  b  Rom  821. 
ty  !c  How  great  their  fecurity  under  the  paternal  and  cRom-  8.  15. 
domeftic  care  of  their  heavenly  Father  (9)  They  ^  ^ 

are  by  this  Ipiritual  generation  endowed  with  eyts ,  by  *  *  ^ 

which  they  can  fee  the  kingdom  of  God,c  and  fpiritualiy  «John  3.  j. 
difeern  the  fpiritual  objeds  of  it  f  and  moreover  with  f  1  ^.2.14, 
a  heart ,  by  which  they  are  both  able  and  willing  to  !5‘ 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.e  If  now  you  caft  up  s  John  3.  5. 
the  fum  of  all  thele  blefiings,  good  God  !  how  great 
doth  the  blefjednefs  of  the  truly  regenerate  appear  to  be  ?  • 

How  careful  then  fhould  we  be  to  reprefent  it  aright  ? 

That  fuch  may  congratulate  themfelves  upon  this  un- 
fpeakable  gift  of  God  :k  That  they  rnay  be  filled  with  b  Pf.  116.  16. 
gratitude  to  God  :*  That  they  may  J&tw  to  others  the  1  1  Pe  -  *•  3* 

greatnefs 


On  Regeneration. 


greatnefs  oF  this  blefling,  to  excite  their  eager  defires 


54 

k  Luke  8.3^ 

^Pet  V  2^  ail<^  'on^>ngs  after  h.k 
3  Ic  rep're-  XXXV.  Thirdly.  This  fubjedl  reprefents,  upon  the 
fents  the  mi-  other  hand,  the  unfpeakable  mifery  of  thofe,  who  are 
fery  of  the  deftitute  of  the  grace  of  regeneration.  Becaufe,  (i) 
in^fix^'wh-  They  cannot  even  fee  the  kingdom  of  God,  much  lefs 
culars.  enter  therein  •,  hence  they  are  utterly  excluded  from 
1  John  3. 3.5.  the  very  threfhold  of  eternal  falvation.1  (2)  So  long 
"John  1.  13.  as  they  are  not  born  of  God™  they  are  born  of  their 
"Jeh.S-42.44  father  the  devil,  and  fo  are  the  children  of  the  devil," 
*  2T1111.2.26.  entangled  in  his  fnares*  (3)  They  are  fpiritually  dead 
Ez*»k'2  *i  2  ’n  hns>p  they  fee  not  the  things  of  the  lpirit q — have 
1  luz]\\.  hearts  of  Jlone — are  objlinate  in  wickednefs/  and'are 

rA£ls  7.  5 1 .  immoveable  to  that  which  is  good.*  They  are  aifo 
££zek_36. 25.  ftupid ,  infenfible,'  impenetrable  by  any  moral  operations 
*Eph. 4^8^19  t^e  Spirit.11  Yea,  they  are Jkiving  againft  the 


Jer.  6 
*  Afis'7.  5 1 . 
z  Rom.  8.  7. 
compared 
with  2  Cor. 
3-  3- 


3  Pf.  1  52. 
fc  Rom.  1 . 


fpirit  :x  They  are  not  fubjeft  to  the  law  of  God,  neither 
indeed  can  they  be.15  So  that  you  might  looner 
fqueeze  water  from  a  Jtone,  than  excite  repentance  in 
them.  They  are  like  ftones,  cold,  deftitute  of  all 
warmth,  of  all  fpiritual  love  towards  God,  his  grace, 
or  the  falvation  of  their  own  fouls  :a  They  are  with¬ 
out  natural  affeflion  ( atlorgoi  j)b  and  from  all  thefe 
things,  furely  without  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  for  God 
is  not  a  God  of  the  dead.0  (4)  So  long  as  they  remain 
unregenerate,  it  were  better  for  them  not  to  have  been 
born,  which  our  Saviour  exprefly  declares  concerning 
Judas  f  and  the  unregenerate,  in  hell  hereafter,  will 
curfe  the  day  of  their  birth .  (5)  So  long  as  they  are 
with  Job  3.  3  not  pne  vjorkmanfcip  0f  God  by  the  grace  of  regenera- 
14.  15^'  20  ti°n>e  it  were  better  for  them  never  to  have  been  ere- 
2.  10.  ated  by  God,  before  not  to  have  been  made  men ;  but 
rather  the  loweft  and  moft  defpicable  reptiles  :  becaufe 
from  the  immortality  of  their  fouls,  immortal,  yea, 
eternal  mifery  awaits  them  f  whilft  thefe  reptiles  will 
be  forever  infenfible.  (6)  So  long  as  they  are  not,  by 
regeneration,  brought  back  to  God,  they  are  alienated 


c  Mat.zz.  3.2. 


*  Marki4  2i. 
compared 


Eph. 


fMat.  23.41 
I fa ,66.  24. 


On  , 'Regeneration .  55 

from  the -life  cf  Godf  are  ojf  from  God,h  with  an  ?Epb.4.i7.i2 
iinmetife  as  it  were,  fixed, bet  ween  them.1  They  ^3-17 

are  caft  out  with  Cain  from  the  prefence  of  God  -,k  aret  Gen  4  \4 
without  God  in  the  world  are  afar  off  fr«m  the  know- 1  Eph.  2.  if. 
ledge  of  God,  and  of  divine  things,”  feeking  after  God,  m  Eph-  4.  18. 
as  ic  were -by  feeling  after  him  in  the  dark  f  afar  off,,1  z-  H* 
alfo  from  the  love  and  faving  grace  of  God  ;°  and  aifo  °  ifa.  5J'2/' 
-from  Chrifl ,  from  the  commonwealth  of  Ifraei,  from  the 
•covenants  of  promife  and  from  ail  hopebf  faivation.p  p  Eph,2.  12. 
To  paint  in  the  moft  lively  manner  this'great  mifery 
of  the  unregenerate  is  of  great  fervice',  ( 1 )  To  our-  fhis  wbat  end 
/elves,  that  we  may  hence  conceive  a  greater  horror  oftation  To 
that  (late,  and  groan  out  with  David,  Create  in  me  a  be  made. 
clean  heart ,  O  GW,  and  renew  a  right  fpirit  within  mef  q  Ef.  51,  12. 
that  we  might  zvork  out  our  own  fahation  with  fear  and  ■  ' 

trembling :  for  it  is  God  which  worketb  in  us,  both  to  will 
and  to  do  f  And  tharwe  might  'rejoice  with  trembling ,5  r  p  .  2  j„; 
in  that  we  have  received  the  grace  of  regeneration.  (2) s  Pf.  2.  uf 
it  may' be  of  fervice  to  others ,  wh©  are  yet  in  an  tin- 
regenerate  ftate,  that,  by  divine  affiftance,  they  might  ' 
awake  (or  recover  themfelves)  from  the  friar es  of  the  devil,* 
by  which ,  they  are  led  captive  at  his  wilt.1  ‘  2Tim.2.26. 

XXXVI.  Fourthly.  This  fubjetft  admoniflies  us  fll(J4uyhat  wc 
that  we  fno\AdCavoid  more  than  we  would  the  mod;  r^u  iTTny 
venomous  animal,,  the  refting,  in  the  bufinefs  of  our  thing  which 
fouls  falvation,  in  any  thing,  however  fpecious,  fhort is  n°t  abfo- 
of  regeneration.  And  that  for  khe  following  reafans.  _ 

(S )  It  appears  from  the  moft  folcmn  repeated  afferti-  regeneration, 
ons  of  our'  Saviour,  that  it  is  impoffible,  without  re¬ 
generation.;  either  to  fee  ; or  f»//r'into,  the’ kingdom  of 
God.“  (2)  Whatever  is  born  of  the  flejh ,  h.  e.  proceeds  a  joi3n 
from  a  carnal  unregenerate  man,  is  only  cdmal.™  fj)  w  John  3?’!’. 
Thoufands,  by  taking  things  natural  for  things  jpiri- 
tual ,  nature  for  grace,  a  good  natural  difpofition  for 
regeneration,  have  miferably  deceived  themfelves,  and 
under  this  deception  have  perilhed  eternally  and  *Luk.i8.n. 

our  I2* 

*  In  our  tranfladon  “who  are  taken  captive  by  him  at  his  will.” 


56 

3  Mat.2i>  ;i. 


In  what 
things  we 
flioujd  by  no 
means  red. 


bLuks  i  S.i  I. 

1  2. 


y2Sam.i(5  23 
d  Exod.31.2. 
e  Rom  2  15. 
2  ver.  i  4.. 
S-VIan.  1 :  .  21. 
h  v.  23- 
1  Mat  12  24. 
k  Rom. 2.  1  8. 
22.  1  Cor. 

13  2. 

I  R  >m.  2.  17 
Mac. 8. 2  1.22 
mi  Cor;  1.19. 
2©.“Luke  1  8.. 

II  If.  1.  15 
0  I  Cor.  10. 
2.3.4  A.Ms  8. 
•53  Gal.  5.  6. 
I  _or.  1 1 .  27 
PLuke  18.12. 
1  Cor.  13 
^Luke  18.12. 
*  I  Cor.  15.3. 
■Mat  7.21.22 
1  Cor.  1 3.  1 
x  Phil.  ;.  6. 
1  Mat.  5.  20. 
kLuke  18.1 1. 
JZ. 


Off  Regenerate. 

ourSaviour  declares  that  Publican!  tnd  Harlots  fiaould 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  before  the  PharifeeS.* 
Particularly  we  ftioudd  avoid,  in  the  bufinefs  of  our 
falvation,  reding,  (ij  In  a  more  virtuous ,  natural  dif- 
pofuion  :  By  which  thro’  a  certain  native  goodnefs  of 
temper,  as  tho’  they  were  formed  of  pure^clay,  fome 
among  the  Heathen  have  been  more  inclined  than 
others,  to  mddaefs,  humanity,  civility,  clemency,  e- 
quity,  and  the  like  ;  upon  which  account  the  more 
moral  Pbarifee  gives  thanks  to  God,  that  he  was  not 
like- other  men,  particularly  the  Publican,  who  was 
ftanding  near  him.b  Nor,  (2)  fhould  we  reft  in  any 
natural  gifts  which  may  be  acquired  ;  wherein  one 
excelleth  another  among  the  Gentiles,  and  likewife 
among  pretended  Chriftians.  v.  g.  In  learning,  wis¬ 
dom,  prudence,  flail  in  mechanicks  or  philofophy,  v.g. 
fuch  as  Ahithophel/  Bezaleel  and  Aholiabd  were  pof- 
feffed  of.  Nor,  (3)  in  moral  virtue 2,  from  which  the 
Gentiles  are  faid  co  have  the  lav )  of  God  written  upon 
their  hearts  f  yea  they  are  faid  to  do,  by  nature ,  the  things 
contained  in  the  law  f  in  which  virtues,  (v.  g .-)  Plato, 
Cato,  Scipio,  Cicero,  Ariftides,  Seneca,  and  the  Anto- 
nini,  a  thoufand  degrees  exceeded  Cataline,  Caligula, 
Nero,  Beliogabulus,  and  others.  Yea  the  Gentiles 
have  herein  fome  times  out-done  God’s profcjfing  peo¬ 
ple.  v.  g.  Tyre  and  Sidon  excelled  the  inhabitants  of 
Bethfaida  and  Chorazin  :s  The  Sodomites,  the  inha¬ 
bitants  of  Capernaum  -,h  and  the  queen  of  the  South, 
the  Jews.1  Nor,  (4)  may  we  reft  in  any  ecclrfiatlical 
or  external  duties  of  religion  •,  fuch  as  the  acknowledge¬ 
ment  of  the  truth, k  the  profeffion  of  i tfdifputing  for  it," 
a  frequent  attendance  upon  holy  exerciles,8  the  ufe  of 
the  facraments,*  bellowing  of  alms, p  fafting,q  fuffering 
martyrdom  for  the  truth,'  preaching  the  word, “or  in  a 
•zealous  profeftion.*  Nor,  (5)  may  we  reft  in  any  kind 
of  external  right  eoufnef s'  a  convcrfation  that  is  morally 
honeft,b  or  a  blamekHhefs  ai  to  chei£  righteoufnefs  of 

fifX.  law. 


On  "Regeneration .  S~" 

fcthw.'  Nor,  (6)  may  we  reft  in  the  gifts  of  common  *  3-  6.- 

grace  -,d  inch  as,  (i_)  the  common  illumination  of  the  ^^."24.3^. 
Holy  Spirit  f  in  confequence  of  which,  we  may  ac¬ 
knowledge  rhe  having  truth,  receive  it  with  joy,  pro- 
fefs  it  courageoufly,  and  preach  it  with  zeal  :  ^2)  The 
powerful  retraining  influences  of  the  fpirit/  (3)  Some  g  l  ^0'tzo'  J‘ 
kind  of  delegation  and  avoidance  of  enormous  crimes. 1  °  J 

("4/  A  kind  of  repentance  for  grofs  fins,  wherein  we 
acknowledge  them,  are  ferry  for  them,  confefs  them, 
and  in  a  degree  reform  our  lives,  as  Judas  did  :h  (5)  6 Math.  27. 5. 
An  external  obfervance  of  the  law  and  precepts  H |jjnc.,2f  2~ 
God. 1  In  all  thefe  things  therefore,  and  many  others,  ,  101§j 

a  man  muff  never  ret,  in  the  great  bufinefs  of  his  19.20. 
falvation,  if  he  means  not  to  be  deceived  ;  for  all  thefe 
things  may  be  found  in  perfons  deftituteof  the  fpirit, 
or  his  regenerating  influences,  arifing  merely  from fiefoly 
principles,  therefore  they  may  be  only  of  a  carnal  na-  k  John  3.  6. 
ture  *.k  Altho’  in  the  truly  regenerate  thefe  things 
may  take  their  origin  from  the  fpirit  or  the  fpiritual 
life  infufed.  Wherefore  it  is  abfolutely  neceflary,  that 
in  all  thefe  things,  we  accurately  diftinguifli  th t  nature 
of  them  from  the  grace  of  regeneration,  and  mark 
their  defebfs,  from  which  we  may  clearly  know,  that 
they  flow  not  from  the  fpirit ,  or  the  fpiritual  life  of 
regeneration  but  from  the  fleflj,  that  is  from  unre¬ 
generate  nature.  Thofe  moral  duties  therefore  differ  ^[owd  RiGr" 
from  fpiritual  ones.  1.  As  to  their  origin ;  for  whilft  differ 
fpiritual  things  originate  from  the  fpirit ,  1  and  are  the  fpirituil. 
fruit  of  the  fpirit,  “  and  proceed  from  the  law  of  God,  ‘John  3.  5. 
written  by  the  fpirit  upon  the  heart  ; n  thofe  moral  ^ 
duties  are  effected  merely  by  induflry,  ftudy  and  prac-  Ezek.  36.'  zb 
tice,  and  are  excited  by  the  powers  of  free  will,  and  27. 
are  therefore  only  the  works  of  nature ,  not  of  the  fpirit . 

2.  They  differ  as  to  the  rule  :  whilft  fpiritual  duties 
conform  themfelves  to  the  rule  of  the  new  creature,  0  0  Gal.  6.  i5. 
and  they,  that  are  fpiritual  walk  after  the  fpirit ,  p  and 
according  to  the  will  of  God  j  1  the  morality  of  the 
1  H  unregenerate 


5» 


r 


Cn  Re  verier aticn. 

unregenera-e  Is  regulated  by  a  kind  of  mediocrity , 
which  reafon  and  the  fentiments  of  wife  men  have 
fixed.  Therefore  this  morality  is  not  obedience  per¬ 
formed  unto  God,  but  to  reafon  and  wile  men.  3. 
They  differ  as  to  the  end  :  whilft  the  regenerate,  in  the 
performance  of  fpiritual  duties,  aim  at  the  glory  of 
or.1e.31.  God, r  and  after  union  and  communion  with  him,  in 


j .  2.: 


Phil 
*  Pf.  !  6,  5.  & 


73-  2S 


V 


r  Rnm.  1 .  1 ", 
Gal,  2. 
uRom.  14.  2: 


which  their  greateft  happinefs  confifteth  :  5  Th e  unre¬ 
generate  in  their  moral  duties  feek  chiefly  their  own  glory 
and  intereft,  as  was  evidently  the  cafe  with  the  Pha- 
Mat.  6.2.5.  rrfees  :  0  or  if  fomething  higher  excites  them  to  the 
purfuit  of  virtue,  at  mo  ft  ’tis  only  the  beauty  of  virtue, 
as  being  agreeable  to  reafon.  4.  They  differ  as  to  the 
immediate  caufe  :  whilft  fpiritual  duties  flow  from 
•  faith,  *  which  accounts  as  fin  whatfoever  is  not  of  itfelf* 

'  however  fpecious  it  may  appear  :  u  Thcfe  fiwra/duties 
know  nothing  of  faith,  they  grow  from  the  feeds  of 
nature,  and  are  watered  by  cxercife,  without  any  ear¬ 
ned  feeking  of  divine  affi  dance.  5.  They  differ  as  to 
the  foundation  :  whilft  all  fpiritual  duties  have  their 
exiftence,  and  are. performed  in  Cbrid ,  without  whom 
»  Tohn  15.  5.  we  can  do  nothing,"'  and  by  whom  we  can  do  all  things  f 
1  Phil.  4.  13.  n0r  are  they  acceptable  to  God,  except  in  Chrift  the 
*  EPh-  »■  *  beioved  G '  as,  by  his  righteoufnefs  he  covers,  and 
makes  amends  for,  all  the  defeats  of  thefe  duties,  and 
fo  prefents  them  to  his  father  •  The  morality  of  the 
unregenerate  hath  nothing _  of  Chrift  in  it,  and  is  there¬ 
fore  but  the  tares  of  nature,  their  own  righteoufnefs, 
and  like  a  menfirums  garment,  abominable  in  the  fight 
of  God.  a  6.  They  differ*as  to  the  affefiion  of  humili- 
*Tf  S4  6.  Cy  .  vvhiIft_y^>/W/«<3/exercifes  are  joined  with  a  conftant 
»"dUk|V "  1 3  ^en^e  anc^  acknowledgement  of  their  native  unfitnefs 
2*  Cor.  3.  q  •  and  corruption,  and  confequently  with  profound  hu- 
cMir.6.2.5.8.  mility  : 11  This  morality  puffeth  up  and  favours  rankly 

Luke  j8.  j  i.  0f  pride  and  arrogance.* 

1 2. If.  59.  2.3.  L  ~ 

Mat'7'25*  XXXVI L 


On  Regeneration. 


59 


us,  an  impartial  examination  of  ourfelves,  that  we  may  , 

,  r  ,  -  .  .  ■,  meads  exa- 

know,  whether  we  are  truly  regenerate  or  not.  Altho  n,;nation  of 


XXXVII.  FiftUy.  This  fubjeCt  recommends  to  5-  This  fab- 

jefts  reconi- 

Altho’ 

the  firjl  a£t  or -principle  of  fpiritual  life,  which  is  con-  ourfelves, 
ierred  in  regeneration,  be  not  evident  cf  i  if  elf ,  any  whether  we 
more  than  the  fir!l  aft  or  principle  of  .natural  life,  or  g^^/cr^ 
any  habit  or  virtue  :  Ic  is  however  very  confpicuous  f,0l  ? 
in  its  operations ,  Which  it  puts  forth  in  converfion  : 
and  altho’  a  perfon,  before  one  of  good  moral  confer  fa- 
lion,  cannot  eafily  be  certain  that  he  is  not  regenerate, 
becaufc  the  life  of  regeneration  may  lometimes,  like 
feed  in  the  earth,  lie  hid  for  a  time  :  however  he  that 
is  truly  regenerated  and  converted  can,  from  the  fruits 
of  the  fpirit, be  absolutely  certain  of  his  regeneration  a  Gal.  22. 
and  converfion  : e  Befure  he,  that  brings  not  forth  Mat.  7  16. — 
fruits,  meet  for  repentance,  may  jufliy  doubt  of  his  ^ 
regeneration,  lo  as  to  be  fenfible  that 
need  of  it. 

know  that  I  am  regenerated  ?  I  anfwer  by  thefe  which  deuces  a  may 
follow,  1.  Whoever  experiences  within  himielf  a  ge-  b,e  ce,rtakn 
neral  renovation,  by  which,  from  a  carnal,  worldly  man,  regenerate, 
he  becomes fpiritual  and  heavenly,  he  without  doubt  f  Tit.  3.  3. 
is  regenerate  :  for  regeneration  is  the  renovation of  the  s  2  Cor,s.iS. 
Holy  Spirit/ and  a  regenerate  perfon  is  a  new  creature /  “bze It  36,26. 
who  hath  received  a  new  heart,  a  new  fpirit/  and  is  k  Gal.  2]  20. 
transformed  into  th  z  image  of  God,1  fo  that  it  is  no  longer  1  Eph.  1.  is.. 
he  that  liveth ,  but  Chrift  in  himf  2.  Whoever,  inffead  &  5- 


he  'ftands  "in  *4‘ 

By  what  evidences  then  final!  I  certainly  By  whacevi. 


H- 


1  Ct<r. 
1 5- 


of  his  former  blindnefs,  experiences  new  light,  by  which  2  c 
he  can  know  and  dilcover  fpiritual  objects  in  a  fpiriliial  Afls *  /s/i/ 
.manner,  he  is  moil  certainly  regenerate.1  3.  -Who-  ®  Phil. 3.7-3.. 
ever,  in  his  heart  and  will,  experiences  a  new  prop  entity  p^al-  4  7-  8- 
towards  fpiritual  objects,  he  without  doubt  is  a  rege- 
nerate  perfon.®  4.  Whoever  in  the. affections  or  paf- /2q?’ 

Hons  of  his  foul,  in  love  and  hatred,  defire  and  aversi¬ 
on,  joy  and  forrow  ;  like  wife  anger,  fear  and  courage, 
experiences  a  more  fpiritual  conflitution  than  before  ;  g  1  2 
he  is  moft  certainly  regenerate."  5.  Whoever  leriouf-  20.  21 
ly  ftrjve  after  grove  th  in  fpiritual  things,  that  they  may 

increafe  - 


*  Gal.  ?.  T6. 
17-  -4  Rom. 
and  7' 


6o  Cn  Regeneration . 

'  i  Pet.  2.  2.  increafe  more  and  more  in  the  things  which  pertain  to 
'  1  n'  l0'  3’  the  kingdom  of  God.  and  be  changed  for  the  better ; 
Cui  s  io  Aits  they  without  doubt  are  regenerate.0  6.  Whoever  are 
q  6.  Rom.  1.  inclined  to  every  good  work,  are  mod  certainly  regene- 
<:  &  7.  22.  rated  \  for  we  are  in  Chrift  jefus,  by  regeneration, 

.■  i  et.  \  .4. 5  6.  crea(grf  unto  good  works*  On  the  other  hand,  the  fol- 
W  rcafons  lowing  characters  have  juft  reafon  to  doubt  of  their 
•  e/.fons  for  regeneration,  (1)  As  many  as  live  not  after  the  fpirit , 
coubting  of  but  after  the  fiefs  ;  for  whatsoever  is  born  oj  the  fiefs,  is 
q  who  are  under  the  dominion  of  fin,  led  captive 
u  joh.  3.6.  by  the  fnares  of  fatan.1  (2)  All  they,  who  defpife  and  / 
r2Tim2. 25.26  account  as  of  no  value  the  means  of  grace  and  faivati- 
(3)  Whoever  reft  in  a  civilly  heneft  and  pharifaical 


K^h. z.r .  1. 3  on. 

4  ^ '& 6°i^' &■>'  ^e,t  (4)  Whoever  flop  in  the  external  profeffions  of 


4^5.6. sToh. 8.  P'ety,  and  labour  not  for  the  internal  exerciies  of  it.* 
45.  zTim.  2.(5)  As  many,  as  were  never  deeply  concerned  about 

23. 26. ‘Mat  s  tndr  falvation,  or  the  fpiritual  fta.e  of  their  fouls.17 
20  Lu.iS  1 1  ^  r 

t  aPh.  3  4  5.(5  XXXVIII.  Sixthly .  This  fubjeCt  inculcates  upon 

Rom.  2.  17  us,  to  drive  earneflly  for  the  regeneration  of  others  : 

6.  1  his^  fub  which  is  efpecially  incumbent  on  the  minifters  of  God’s 
ject  inculcates  i  ■t'  r  \  •  j  .l- 

,.rnr,  ,,vvord.  for  imee  the  unregenerate  can  do  nothing 

upon  us  10  o  ^ 

Riive  earneft- towards  regenerating  themjelves,* tis  neceflary,  every 
ly  Cor  the  .e- one  ihould  drive  therefor  ;  they  efpecially  whofe  bu- 
■;t',n^raaon  cf  finefs  God  hath  made  it  ex  cfjicio  ('from  their  office. ) 
MJtives  And  ^or  cbeir  encouragement  herein,  it  may  be  well 
thereto  ferioutly  to  confider,  ( i)  That  they  are  called  hereto 
Tim.  3.  5.  by  G'd.x  (2)  That,  herein  they  aCt  as  fellow  labourers , 
"  ~-2;-2**  with  God.a  {%)  That,  on  this-account,  they  are  called 

0^  ~  g..  .  1 1  .hoif  koiveip  t  r-\i  i-i  rtv'i  1  n  h  t 1  g  r& r\  ^ 

How 
So  that  Audin 

= 26  37’  not  imPr0Per!Y  declared,  that  the  converfion  of  a  f«ul 
18.2C01.5  78  exceeded  any  miracle.  (6)  How  glorious  it  will  be  for 
\o.  Yrim.  2.  them  hereafter,  in  the  lad  day,  to  have  begotten  many 
-6-  27.  to  a  fpiritual  life.*  (7)  On  the  otKer  hand,  how  dift- 


23. It.  c8.  2. 


i-zck.3’  - ,!  fathers,  becaufe  they  beget  fpiritual  children.1 
32.1  Cor.  13.3  How  important  a  thing  the  human  foul  is.c  (5J 
yjer.  31.  19.  glorious  it  is  to  win  fouls  to  Chrid.4 


"5 


i  v^or. 


. ,  r  9-  graceful,  how  horrible  it  will  be,  to  be  found  guilty  of 
h  ,'cn 'r  ,‘r  the  neglect  of  fouls /  But  in  what  manner  ffiall  they 


1  Cor.  4..  15  the  neglect  of  fouls/ 

•  iv'at.  16.  26.  labour 

Luke  9  23.  riPro v.  ii. 30.  3VIat.  4  19.  e  Heb.  2.  10.  13.  1  TneC  2.  19.  2  Cor. 
1.  14.  Dan.  12.  3.  y  Ezek.  3.  18.  20.  jer.  48.  10.  1  Cor.  9.  16.  17. 


On 


"Regeneration. 

o 


61 

■gy  The  way  m 


we 
ihive 
tege- 
cf 


John  3.4  5. 


*5* 

7.0" 

29. 

23. 


labour  for  the  regeneration  of  others  ?  Anf.  1.  ,  ^ 

teaching  and  inftrudting  them  concerning  the  nature 
of  regeneration  as  C h rift  did  Nicodemus/  2.  By  in-  for  the 
culcating  the  abfolute  necejfity  of  regeneration,  without  r.eratio 
which  they  can  neither  fee,  nor  enter  into  the  kingdom  ®t^er®* 
of  God.s  3,  By  laying  open  the  unfpeakable  mjfery  s  5. 

of  thofe  who  die  without  regeneration,11  as  in  §  xxxv.  h£,.m  2+. 

4.  By  powerfully  reprefenting  the  happy  condition  of  2  Tun.  2.26. 
thofe  who  are  truly  regenerate,  as  in  §  xxxiv.  5.  By  Luke  ‘3-  3’ 
pointing  out  the  means ,  (, adminicnla )  whereby  we  may 
become  partakers  of  regenerating  grace  •,  fuch  as,  v.  g, 

( r )  To  avoid  with  Nicodemus 1  intimacy  with  the  un-  i  j0fon  3  2. 
regenerate/  and  leek,  as  he  did,  the  company  and  in-  ^£62.38.40 
ftru&ion  of  thofe,  who  can  point  out  to  us  the  life  of 
regeneration.1  (2)  To  conceive  the  Jced  of  regenerati¬ 
on1  the  word  of  God.  (3)  To  urge  the  promife  of  the  p1  Cor. 4 
covenant  of  grace.”1  (4J  To  groan  out  with  David,  j/0^" 

Create  within  me  a  clean  heart ,  0  God ,  and  renew  a  right  1  x  pet.  1 
fpirit  within  me,  &c.n  6.  By  removing  prejudices ,  pre-  1  Cor.  4.  1  5 

tences  and  impediments,  by  which  the  unregenerate  raEzek-3.6  z5" 
1  r  1  ,  .  ;  .  0  r  ,  26  27.  ar.d 

are  wont  to  block  up  their  way  to  regeneration  ;  iuch  M  f  jer 

as  v.  g.  ( 1 )  That  they  fhall  thereby  be  obliged  to  3?.  39. 
condemn  themfelves,  and  openly  expofe  all  their  paft  "Pf-si.  12. 
life  with  the  greateft  difgrace  to  themfelves.  To  which 
this  anfwer  may  be  given,  [1]  Whatever  fmall  dif¬ 
grace  it  mav  be,  we  muft  chearfully  fubmit  to  it,  if 
we  would  avoid  eternal  difgrace.®  [2]  The  very  beft 
of  men  never  were  afnamed  to  confefs  their  fins  and 
condemn  their  wicked  lives  :p  and  by  the  confent  of 
all  chriftians,  this  is  abfolutely  neceftary  to  falvation/  q  iCor*ii.3i 
[3]  ’Tis  even  an  honor  to  a  man,  ingenuoufly  to  re-  Prov.  2 S.  13, 
tradt  whatever  he  hath  done  amifs/  and  recount  his  '  2jCor.  3-  2 
paft  crimes  to  the  glory  of  divine  grace.’  Obj.  2. 

That  in  this  way,  they  muft  begin  every  thing  anew, 
and  pull  down  all  that  they  have  been  building  up 
before.  Anf.  "What  hath  been  badly, built,  fhouid  be 
pulled  down,  left  it  fall  of  itfelf  ;  as  is  plainly  the  cafe 

with 


Dan.  12.  2. 


p  Pf.  51. — 


5  Tim.i  jj.. 
Tit.  3.  3.  4. 
lCor.^.io.ii 


j 


62 

*  Mat.  7.  26. 


“Mat.  7. 1 3  14 

w  Mat.  1 1  28. 
29.  Rom.  7. 
7.2. 

*  Mat.  1 1.  6 
1  Pet.  4.  12. 
1  Thef.  3.  3. 
“Mat. 5. 10.  x  x 
i  Pet.  a.  r  4. 

*  1  Coi.  3.  5. 
6  7.  ' 

c  Eph.  1.  16. 
17.  1 8.  Rom. 
15.-13. 


d  Ezek  3.  17. 

— 2l . 


z  If.  59.  2t . 
Rom.  15  1 8. 
1 9- 1  Cor. 3  5 
6.  7. 


0/7  "Regeneration. 

.  .  ft 

with  buildings,  whofe  foundations'  are  rotten  and 
poor.'  Obj.  3.  That  by  bringing  into  doubt  all  their 
former  conduct,  they  fhalhbe  brought  into  a  (fate  of 
defpair.  A n f.  (1)  It  is  better  to  defpair  here,  where 
there  is  trope,  than  hereafter  to  be  in  bopekjs  defpair 
forever.  (2)  This  faiutary  defpair  of  their  pad  wrong 
ways,  is  really  a  fubdantial  hope ,  yea,  an  undoubted 
means  of  bringing  them  back  into  the  way  of  eternal 
falvation.  Obj.  4.  That  they  can’c  come  up  to  that 
fir  i  chiefs  of  life ,  which  belongs  to  regeneration  and  the 
new  creature.  Anf.  ( 1)  ’Tis  thro '  fir  aits  and  difficul-' 
ties  chat  we  arrive  to  any  thing  glorious.  “  (2)  The 
way  is  not  difficult,  but  pleafant,  to  the  truly  regene¬ 
rate. Y/  Obj.  5.  That  hereby  they  fhafl  become  expof- 
ed,  to  the  cenfures,  reproach  and  perfecutions  of  the 
world.  Anf.  [1]  This  is  the  common  lot  of  Chridi-. 
ans  •,  and  happy  is  he,  in  the  opinion  of  Chrift,  who 
is  not  offended  hereby. 21  {2]  In  thele  Very  affithons  con- 
fifteth  one  of  the  chriftian  beatitudes,  a  7.  We  fhould 
leek  the  regeneration  of  finners,  by  praying  for  them, 
that  God  would  give  fuccefs  to  his  own  inft-itutions, b 
that  he  would  quicken,  illuminate,  and  renew  the  un- 
regenera'.e,  and  deliver,  from  thdr  hearts  of  done, 
thofe  who  need  regeneration,  &c.c  Nor  need  any  fuf- 
peeft  that  in  all  this,  they  talk  only  to  the  deaf,  or 
knock  at  the  doors  of  the  dead  ;  fmee,  ( 1 )  By  doing 
what  belongs  to  theln,  leaving  the  fuccefs  to  God, 
they  perform  their  bounden  duty  and  will  deliver  their 
own  louls.  A  (2)  AJtho’  it  may  fo  happen  that  they 
are  treating  with  thofe,  who  are  (piritually  dead  ■,  yet 
they  are  treating  with  tho  e  who  are  naturally  alive, 
-who  are  endowed  with  underdanding  and  will,  and 
can  underdand  things  in  their  grammatical  and  his¬ 
torical  fenfe.  (%)  Becaufe  God,  in  the  ufe  of  fuch 
means,  is  wont  to  bedow  the  grace  of  regeneration.  5 


XXXIX 


On  Regeneration. 

'  XXXIX.  Seventhly.  This  fubjed  may  ferve  to  ex- 
ort  the  regenerate ,  diligently  to  apply  to  the  duties 
meet  for  regeneration,  viz.  ( i.)  That  they  acknow¬ 
ledge  the  unfpeakable^rtfrr  of  God,  beflowed  on  them 
in  regeneration,  by  his  mere  good  pleafiure ,  while  lo 
many  thoufand's  arc  paffed  by  *,  and  that  they  rejoice 
therein.1  (2.]  That  fenfible  of  this  unfpeakable  bene¬ 
fit,  they  are  abundant  in  ingenuous  thank/giving  to 
God.b  (%.)  That  they  wholly  depend  on  God,  as  the 
original  fountain  of  their  fpiritual  life  -,s  who  worketh 
in  us,  both  to  will,  and  to  do.d  (4.)  That  in  the  ufe 
of  appointed  means,  they  ftrive  for  a  continual  increafe 
of  the  fpiritual  life,  communicated  to  them  by  rege¬ 
neration.2  (5.)  For  this  end,  they  fhould  be  importu¬ 
nate  with  God,  in  fervent  prayer. f  ( 6.)  Efpecially 
fhould  they  endeavour  with  all  engagedrjefs  to  bring 
forth  into  the fecond  ads  (or  exercifts)  the  firjl  aft  of 
fpiritual  life  which  they  received  by  regeneration  as 
they,  who  live  by  the  fpirit,  fhould  alio  walk  in  the 
fpirit  and  therefore,  (7.)  Being  drawn,  they  fhould 
run 


63 


7  This  fub- 
je£t  recom¬ 
mends  to  the 
regenerate, 
that  they  ap¬ 
ply  diligent¬ 
ly  to  the  du¬ 
ties  meet  for 
regeneration. 
What  they 
are. 

*  James  1,17. 
1 8.  Eph  z.5. 
6.  compared 
with  Luke 
15.  92. 

b  1  Pet.  1.3.4. 
5  2  Cor.  4.  4, 
5  6- 

d  Phil.  2.  13. 

•  1  Pet.  2  2. 

f  Pf  5 1 .  1 2. 
s  Gal.  9.  25. 
Rom.  3.  1: 


f  f  J  1  1  **  J  ^ 

being  delivered  from  the  heart  of  ftone,  they  Lant'  *• 


fiiould  make  to  themieives  a  new  heart ,  and  a  new  fpi¬ 
rit  j1  being  circumcifed,  they  fhould  cireumtife  themfelves 
to  the  Lord ,  and  take  away  more  and  more  the  Urefkin  of 
their  heart .k  h.  e.  Being  now  made  alive  by  regenera* 
tion,  they  fhould  put  off,  by  converfion  and  repentance, 
concerning  their  former  comer  fat  ion ,  the  old  man ,  and  he 
renewed  in  the  fpirit  of  their  mind  ;  and  that  they  might 
nut  on  the  new  man  which  after  God  is  created  in  righteoufi- 
nefs  and  true  holinefisd  And  that  they  bear  in  mind  that 
they  are,  by  regeneration,  the  workmanjhip  of  God,  cre¬ 
ated  in  Chrift  Jefus  unto  go&d  works ,  that  they  might  walk 
in  them .m  But  thefe  things  belong  to  converfion  and 
fanfiif  cation ,  which  are  the  end  of  regeneration,  as  the 
fecond  ads  (or  exercifes)  are  the  end  of  the  firjl  act  or 
principle. 

APPENDIX, 


!Ezek  1 3  31.' 
k  Jer-  4-  T 


1  Epk.  4.  zzji 
*3'.24* 

"  Ephk2,  1®, 


APPENDIX. 


FROM  the  Weftminfter  confeffion  of  faith,  chap. 

10.  of  effectual  calling.  “All  thofe  whom  God 
hath  predeftinated  unto  life,  and  thofe  only,  he  is 
pleafed  in  his  appointed  ar^d  accepted  time,  effectually 
to  call  by  his  word  and  Spirit,  out  of  t(iat  hate  of  fin 
and  death,  in  which  they  are  by  nature,  to  grace  and 
falvation  by  Jefus  Chrift  ;  enlightening  their  minds^ 
fpiritually  and  favingly  to  underftand  the  things  of 
Ged  •,  taking  away  their  heart  of  {tone,  and  giving 
unto  them  an  heart  of  fiefh  ;  renewing  their  wills,  and 
by  his  almighty  power  determining  them  to  that  which 
Is  good  ;  and  effectually  drawing  them  to  Jefus  Chrift ; 
yet  lo  as  they  come  moft  freely,  being  made  willing 
by  his  grace. 

II.  This  effectual  call  is  of  God’s  free  and  fpecial 
grace  alone,  not  from  any  thing  at  all  forefeen  in  man, 
who  is  altogether  pajjive  therein,  until  being  quick¬ 
ened  and  renewed  by  theHoiy  Spirit,  he  is  thereby  en¬ 
abled  to  anfwer  this  call,  and  to  embrace  the  grace 
offered  aad  conveyed  in  it.” 

Dr.  Twifs  Prolocutor  of  the  affembly  of  divines 
at  Weftminfter  in  hisVindiciae  Gratis,  &c.  page  15. 
of  the  preface,  thus  defines  efficacious  grace.  “We 
explain  efficacious  grace  to  be  an  Operation  of  God 
afFeCting  the  will  of  man,  which  is  not  moral  but 
phyjical. ,  that  is  immediately  and  really  working  in  us 
to  do  whatfoever  good  we  perform,  determining  the 
will  to  aCtion,  but  yet  fo  as  that  it  aCts  freely.” 

Part  III.  Page  124.  “We  do  not  deny  that  God 
aCts  by  (moral)  fuafion  ;  but  he  aCts  alfo  by  a  phyfical 
operation,  which  immediately  and  immutably  affects 

the 


APPENDIX.  65 

the  will  and  that  by  an  irrefiftible  agency  :  For  as  to 
moral  fuafien,  it  is  plain  the  agent  ads  only  in  the  way 
of  placing  ofejeds  before  the  mind,  which  neither  ads 
upon  the  will  immediately,  nor  at  all  after  the  manner 
ot  an  efficient  caufe,  but  merely  after  the  manner  of  a 
final  caufe.  This  divine  concurrence  is  of  that  kind 
that  neither  men  nor  angels  can  refill.  We  fay  this  ac¬ 
tion  of  God  cannot  be  refilled,  for  this  reafon,  that  it 
doth  not  conlilt  in  moral  fuafion,  fo  as  to  be  in  its  na¬ 
ture  refillible  ;  but  in  an  immediate  change  of  the  will, 
which  cannot  properly  be  called  either  refillible  or  irre¬ 
fiftible  with  refped  to  the  will  upon  which  it  ads  :  For 
that,  properly  ipeaking,  is  irrefiftible,  which  a  perlon 
cm  not  refill  tho’  he  wills  to.  But  fuppofing  a  man  Ihouid 
will  otherwife,  than  God  worketh  in  him  to  will,  he  not 
only  could  refill,  but  herein  adually  would  refill  :  But 
upon  this  fuppofition  it  would  follow,  that  God  did  not 
work  in  him  by  changing  his  will  ;  for  if  he  changed 
his  will,  hereby  ©f  unwilling  he  would  make  him  wil¬ 
ling,  But  if  we  fuppofe  a  man  to  will  any  thing  from 
the  operation  of  God,  it  cannot  be  that  he  ffiould  not 
will  it  or  will  the  contrary.  For  God  himfelf  cannot 
make  a  thing  to  be  and  not  to  be  at  the  fame  time.** 

Dr.  Ridgley,  in  his  expofition  of  the  larger  catechifm 
under  the  anfwer,  which  treats  ol  effedual  calling,  Voh 
s.  P.  20.  gives  his  fentiments  upon  the  dodrine  of  re¬ 
generation  in  the  following  words. 

“  The  firft  Hep  that  he  (i.  e.  God)  is  plealed  to  take 
in  this  work,  (i.  e.  the  work  of  effedual  calling)  is  in 
his  implanting  a  principle  of  fpiritual  life  and  grace, 
which  is  abfolutely  neceffary  for  our  attaining  to,  or  re¬ 
ceiving  advantage  by  the  external  call  of  the  gofpel  i 
this  is  generally  ftiled  regeneration,  or  the  new  birch  ; 
or,  as  in  the  feripture  but  now  referred  to,  (viz.  Ezek. 
36.  26.)  a  new  heart.  If  it  be  enquired,  What  we  are 
to  underftand  by  this  principle  ?  We  anfwer.  That  fMce 
principles  arc  only  known  by  thofe  effeds  they  produce, 

I  fprir.gs 


66  APPENDIX. 

fprings  of  ailing,  by  the  actions  themfelves,  we  muft 
be  content  with  this  defcription  ;  that  it  is  fomething 
wrought  in  the  heart  of  man,  whereby  he  is  habitually 
and  prevailingly  biafled  and  inclined  to  what  is  good  : 
So  that  by  virtue  hereof,  he  freely,  readily,  and  willingly 
cheofes  thofe  things  which  tend  to  the  glory  of  God  j 
and  refufes,  abhors  and  flees  from  what  is  contrary  there¬ 
unto  ;  and,  as  this  more  immediately  afleds  t^ie  under- 
ftanding,  whereby  it  is  enabled  to  difcern  the  things 
which  God  reveals  in  the  gofpel  in  a  fpiritual  way,  it  is 
Filed,  his  flAning  in  the  heart ,  to  give  us  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  his  glory ,  or  his  giving  an  eye  to  fee ,  and  an  ear 
to  hear.  As  it  refpeds  the  will,  jt  contains  in  it  a  power, 
whereby  it  is  difpofed,  and  enabled  to  yield  the  obedi¬ 
ence  oh  faith,  to  what  ever  God  is  plpafed  to  reveal  to  us 
as  a  rule  of  duty,  fo  that  we  are  made  willing  in  the  day 
of  his  power  v  and  as  it  refpeds  the  aiffedions,  they  are 
all  difpofed  to  run  h.  a  right  channel,  to  defire,  delight 
and  rejoice  in  every  thing  that  is  pleafing  to  G6d,  and 
flee  from  ever  thing  that  is  provoking  to  him.  This  is 
tint  whereby  a  dead  firmer  is  made  alive,  and  fo  enabled 
to  put  forth  living  adions. 

Concerning  this  principle  of  grace,  let  it  be  cblerved, 
that  it  is  infufed,  and  not  acquired.  The  firlt  principle 
or  fpring  of  good  adions,  may,  with  equal  reafon,  be 
fuppofed  to  be  infufed  into  us  as  Chriftians,  as  it  is  un¬ 
doubtedly  true,  that  the  principle  of  reafoning  is  infufed 
into  us  as  men  r  None  ever  fuppofed  that  the  natural 
power  of  reafoning  may  be  acquired,  tho’  a  greater  fa¬ 
cility  or  degree  thereof  is  gradually  attained  ;  fo  that 
power,whereby  we  are  enabled  to  put  forth  fupei'natural 
ads  of  grace,  which  we  call  a  principle  of  grace,  mult 
be  fuppofed  to  be  implanted  in  us  ;  which,  were  it  ac¬ 
quired,  we  could  not,  properly  fpeaking,  be  faid  to  be 
born  of  God. 

From  hence  I  am  obliged  to  infer,  that  the  regenera¬ 
ting  ad,  or  implanting  this  principle  of  grace,  which  is, 


APPENDIX.  67 

at  leaf!;,  in  order  of  nature,  antecedent  to  any  a‘<5t  of 
grace,  put  forth  by  us,  is  the  immediate  effedt  of  the 
power  of  God,  which  none,  who  fpeak  of  regeneration 
as  a  divine  v/ork,  pretend  to  deny  ;  and  therefore  I  can¬ 
not  but  conclude,  that  it  is  wrought  in  us  without  the 
infir  umentality  of  the  word ,  or  any  of  the  ordinary  means  of 
grace  :  My  reafbn  for  it  is  this ;  becaufe  it  is  neceffary 
(from  the  nature  of  the  thing)  to  our  receiving,  improv¬ 
ing  or  reaping  any  faving  advantage  by  the  word,  that 
the  fpirit  fhould  produce  the  principle  of  faith  ;  and  to 
fay,  that  this  Jd  done  by  the  word,  is,  in  effect,  to  affert 
that  the  word  produces  the  principle,  and  the  principle 
gives  efficacy  to  the  word  ;  which  feems  to  me  little  lefs 
than  arguing  in  a  circle.  The  word  cannot  profit  unlefs 
it  be  mixed  with  faith  •,  and  faith  cannot  be  put  forth, 
unlefs  it  proceeds  from  a  principle  of  grace  implanted  ; 
therefore  this  principle  of  grace  is  not  produced  by  it  : 
We  may  as  well  fuppofe,  that  the  presenting  a  beautiful 
pidture  before  a  man  that  is  blind,  can  enable  him  to 
fee*,  or  the  violent  motion  of  a  withered  hand,  produce 
ftrength  for  adtion,  as  we  can  fuppofe  that  the  prefent¬ 
ing  the  word,  in  an  objective  way,  is  the  inftrumenc 
whereby  God  produces  that  internal  principle,  by  which, 
we  are  enabled  to  embrace  it.  Neither  would  this  fo 
well  agree  with  the  idea  of  its  being  a  new  creature,  or 
our  being  created  unto  good  works  •,  for  then  it  ought  ra¬ 
ther  to  be  faid,  we  are  created  by  faith,  which  is  a  good 
work  :  This  is,  in  effedt,  to  fay  that  the  principle  cf 
grace  is  produced  by  the  inftrumentality  of  that  which 
fuppofes  its  being  implanted,  and  is  the  refulc  and  con¬ 
fluence  thereof. 

1  am  forry  that  I  am  obliged  in  this  afferrion,  to  ap¬ 
pear,  at  leaft,  to  oppofe  what  has  been  maintained  by 
many  divines  of  greac  worth  ;  who  have  in  ail  other 
refpedts,  explained  the  doctrine  of  regeneration,  agreea¬ 
bly  to  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  and  the  analogy  of 
faith.  It  may  be  the  principal  difference  between  this 

explication. 


68  APPENDIX ; 

explication,  and  their’s  is,  that  they  fpeak  of  regeneration 
in  a  large  fenfe,  as  including  in  it,  not  barely  the  im- 
planting  the  principle,  but  the  exciting  it,  and  do  not  1 
fufficiencly  diftinguifh  between  the  principle  as  implant¬ 
ed  and  deduced  inco  ad  ;  for,  I  readily  own,  that  the 
latter  is,  by  the  inftrumentality  of  the  word,  though  I 
cannot  think  the  former  fo  5  or,  it  may  be,  they  confidcr  i 
the  principle  as  excited  ;  whereas  I  confider  it  as  created,  | 
or  wrought  in  us  ;  and  therefore  can  no  more  conclude 
that  the  new  creation  is  wrought  by  an  inftrument,  than  ! 
1  can,  that  the  firft  creation  of  all  things  was. 

And  I  am  ready  to  conjcdure,  that  that  which  leads 
many  divines  into  this  way  of  thinking,  is  the  fenfe  in 
which  they  underftand  the  words  of  the  apoftle  :  Being 
born  again,  net  tf  corruptible  feed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the 
word  of  God  which  livetb  and  abide th  forever  :  And  elfe- 
where.  Of  his  own  will,  begat  he  us  with  the  word  of  truth, 
that  we  fhculd  be  a  kind  of  fir Jl- fruits  of  his  creatures. 
Whereas  this  doth  not  fo  much  refped  the  implanting 
the  principle  of  grace,  as  it  does  our  being  enabled  to 
ad  from  that  principle  •,  and  ’tis  as  tho5  he  fhould  fay. 
he  hath  made  us  believers,  or  induced  us  to  love  and 
obey  him  by  the  word  of  truth,  which  fuppofes  a  prin¬ 
ciple  of  grace  to  have  been  implanted  ;  otherwiie  the 
w  rd  of  truth  would  never  have  produced  thefe  effeds. 
Regeneration  may  be  taken,  not  only  for  our  being  made 
alive  to  God,  or  created  unco  good  works,  but  for  our 
putting  forth  living  adions,  proceeding  from  that  prin¬ 
ciple  which  is  implanted  in  the  foul.  I  am  far  from  de¬ 
nying,  that  faith,  and  all  other  graces  are  wrought  in  us. 
by  the  inftrumentality  of  the  word  ;  and  it  is  in  this 
fenfe  that  fome,  who  treat  on  this  fubjed,  explain  their 
fentiments,  when  they  fpeak  of  being  born  again  by  the 
word  :  Therefore  I  perfuade  myfelf,  that  I  differ  from 
them  only  in  the  acceptation  of  words,  and  not  in  the 
main  fubftance  of  the  dodrioe  they  maintain.” 

Dod.  Ridgley  quotes  Charnock,  with  approbation, 

concerning 


APPENDIX ;  69 

concerning  the  diftindtion  between  regeneration  and  con- 
verfion,  in  the  following  words.  “  Regeneration  is  a 
fpiritual  change  ;  converfion  is  a  fpiritual  motion  j  in 
regeneration  there  is  a  power  conferred  ;  converfion  is 
the  exercife  of  this  power  in  regeneration  there  is  given 
us  a  principle  to  turn  converfion  is  our  adtual  turning  ; 
in  the  covenant,  the  new  heart,  and  God’s  putting  the 
fpirit  into  them,  is  diftinguiffied  from  their  walking  in 
his  ftatutes,  from  tjie  firft  ftep  we  take  in  the  way  ©f 
God,  and  is  fet  down  as  the  caule  of  our  motion  :  In 
renewing  us  God  gives  us  a  power  ;  in  converting  us 
he  excites  that  power.  Men  are  naturally  dead,  and 
have  a  ftone  upon  them  5  regeneration  ia  a  rolling  away 
the  ftone  from  the  heart,  and  a  railing  to  newnefs  of  life  ; 
and  then  converfion  is  as  natural  to  a  regenerate  man, 
as  motion  is  to  a  living  body  :  A  principle  of  activity 
will  produce  adtion.  The  firft  reviving  us  is  wholly 
the  adl  of  God,  without  any  cqncurrence  of  the  creature  ; 
but,  after  we  are  revived,  we  do  adlively  and  volunta¬ 
rily,  live  in  his  fight.  Regeneration  is  the  motion  of 
God  in  the  creature  5  converfion  is  the  motion  of  thp 
Creature  to  God,  by  virtue  of  that  firft:  principle  ;  from 
this  principle  all  the  adts  of  believing,  repenting,  mor¬ 
tifying,  quickening  do  fpring.  In  all  thefe  a'man  is  ac¬ 
tive  ;  -in  the  other  he  is  merely  paffive.”35 

Thus  far  Mr.  Charnock: 

Dodh  Ridgley  further  oblerves,  (vol.  2.  p.  23)  rela^ 
tive  toour  paffivity  in  regeneration.  “  I  cannot  but 
take  notice  of  a  queftion  which  frequently  occurs  under 
this  head,  viz.  Whether  man  in  the  firft  moment  there¬ 
of,  viz.  in  regeneration,  be  merely  paffive,  tho’  adlive 
in  every  thing  that  follows  after  it  ?  This  we  cannot 
but  affirm,  not  only  againft  the  Pelagians ,  but  others, 
whole  method  of  treating  the  dodlrine  of  divine  grace, 
feerm  to  agree  with  theirs.  This  is  fufficiently  evidenr, 
not  only  from  the  impotency  of  corrupt  nature,  as  to 
what  is  good,  but  it’s  utter  averfenefs  thereto,  and  iiem 

'  '  thq 

^  See  Charnock  on  regeneration,  Vol.  a.  page  70,  7t» 


APPENDIX. 


the  work’s  being  truly  and  properly  divine ;  or  (as  has 
been  before  obferved)  the  effect  of  almighty  power. 
Ibis  is  not  a  controverfy  of  late  date  \  but  has  been  either 
defended  or  oppofed,  ever  fince  Augufline’s  and  Pelagias' s 
time.” 

With  refpedt  to  preparatory  works,  Dock  Ridgly 
jeems  well  to  agree  with  Van  Maflricht.  Upon  this 
point  he  quots  Mr.  Charnock,  in  the  following  words. 
<c  Man  cannot  prepare  himfelf  for  the  new  birth  :  He 
hath  indeed  a  fubjeftivo  capacity  for  grace,  above  any 
other  creature  in  the  inferior  world--,  and  this  is  a  kind 
of  natural  preparation,  which  other  creatures  have  not  ; 
a  capacity,  in  regard  of  the  powers  of  the  foul,  tho’  not 
in  refpedt  of  the  prefent  difpofition  of  them.  He  hath 
an  underflanding  to  know,  and  when  it  is  enlightened 
to  know  God’s  law  ;  a  will  to  move  and  fun,  and  when 
enlargecfby  grace,  to  run  in  the  ways  of  God’s  com¬ 
mandments  -,  fo  that  he  (lands  in  an  immediate  capa¬ 
city  to  receive  the  life  of  grace,  upon  the  breath  and 
touch  of  God,  which  a  (lone  doth  not  -,  for  in  this  it  is 
neceflary,  that  rational  faculties  (hould  be  put  as  a  foun¬ 
dation  of  fpiritual  motions.  Tho’  the  foul  be  thus  ca¬ 
pable,  as  a  fubjedl,  to  receive  the  grace  of  God,  yet  it  is 
not  therefore  capable  as  an  agent,  to  prepare  itfelf  for  it, 
or  produce  it.  It  is  capable  to  receive  the  truths  of 
God  -,  but  as  the  heart  is  (lony,  it  ikis  incapable  to  re¬ 
ceive  the  impreffions  of  thofe  truths. 

Charnock  on  regeneration.  Vol.  2.  p.  147,  148. 

Mr.  Willard,  one  of  the  mod  noted  New-England 
divines,  in  his  Expoiition  upon  the  leffer  catechifm,  un¬ 
der  the  anfwer  which  refpedts  effe&ual  calling,  p.433, 
434,  thus  oblerves, 

“  1.  There  is  fomething  habitually  wrought  in  the 
man,  whereby  he  is  capacitated  and  dilpofed  to  believe 
in  Chrifl.  And  this  is  ufually  called •  fajftve  converjion. 
2.  There  is  fomething  done  actually,  by  the  man  in  the 
exciting  of  this  power  fo  created  in  him,  in  which  he 
'  "  '  ’  ’  applies 


APPENDIX.  71 

applies  thofe  graces  or  powers  in  him,  to  their  objects, 
and  exercifeth  them  ;  and  particularly  his  faith,  in  clof- 
ing  with,  and  embracing  of  Jefus  Chrift  exhibited  in  the 
promife  and  is  in  the  gofpel  called  believing. — Again, 
he  fays,  The  aft  of  faith  doth  neceffarily  fuppofe  thi  ha¬ 
bit  of  it,  or  the  power  of  believing.  All  adls  require  a 
power  fuitafele  and  fufficient  for  them  ;  nor  can  any  a- 
gent  go  beyond  its  ability  :  No  cfFetft  can  exceed  the 
vertue  of  its  caufe  :  fo  that  a  man  tnuft  have  faith,  in 
order  to  his  exerting  it. 

Again.  There  is.no  co-operation . of  the  man  with  the 
fpirit  in  the  producing  of  the  habit  of  faith  in  him.  He 
is  a  fubjedt  but  not  In  agent.  He  contributes  nothing 
at  all  to  it,  but  .it  is  wholly  put  into  him  by  another 
hand.  It  is  a  creating  work,  and  that  belongs  to  God 
alone.  Eph.  2.10.  It  is  a  refurredtion,  and  that  belongs 
entirely  to  the  divine  Omnipotency.  Eph.  1.  19.  It  is  a 
regeneration,  and  none  ever  helped  to  beget  himlelf,  yea, 
being  a  spiritual  regeneration,  none  but  the  fpirit  can  effedt  it. 

’The  means  themfelves  have  no  efficacy  in  the  production  of 
this  habit  by  moral  fuafion.  Not  but  that  the  fpirit  ufeth. 
the  means  in  order  to  his  bringing  about  this  work  in  us. 
Ezekiel  was  to  prophefy  in  order  to  the  dry  bones  living. 
Ezek.  37.  9,  10.  The  means  are  properly  accommoda¬ 
ted  to  work  on  man  as  a  moral  agent,  rationally,  by  evi¬ 
dence  or  demonftration,  by  convictions,  awakenings, 
encouragements,  and  the  fpirit  comes  with  them  as  he 
lees  meet,  and  gives  them  fuch  an  operation  :  But  either 
their  operation  is  common,  and  that  can  at  moft  be  but 
preparatory  j  or  it  is  having,  and  then  it  fuppoieth  this 
habit  m  them.  Moral  fuafion  can  do  only  on  a  fubjedt 
capable.  Come  to  the  grave  of  a  dead  man,  and  make 
never  fo  grave  an  oration  to  him,  tel!  him  what  a  mife- 
rafele  condition  a  ftate  of  death  is,  and  what  benefits  ac¬ 
company  the  living,  and  fo  beg  of  him  to  rife  and  live  ; 
And  what  will  this  do  ?  There  mu  ft  be  faith,  to  receive 
Chrift,  e’er  the  endeavours  to  perfuade  men  produce 


72  APPENDIX. 

the  aft  of  believing  on  him,  and  this  is  an  operation  more 
than  merely  ethical  or  moral."  ■  ■ 

Page  435.  “  All  the  orthodox  confent,  that  there  muft 
,be  a  new  power  put  into  the  man  in  order  to  his  believing 
in  Chrift.  That  a  man  can  no  more  of  himfelf  come  up 
to  the  terms  of  the  new  covenant,  than  keep  the  law  of 
the  firft  covenant.  They  that  deny  this  are  unacquain¬ 
ted  with  the  efficacy  of  the  apoftacy,  or  energy  of  original 
fin  in  man.  Philofophy  tells  us  that  live  adtions  require 
life  in  the  agent.  And  fpiritual  adtions  muft  derive  from 
a  fpfritual  life  ;  gracious  adtions  muft  flow  from  grace. 
Call  this  an  habit  or  a  virtue,  or  a  principle  ;  it  muft 
be  an  ability  to  do  thefe  things,  ^lich  it  had  not  natu¬ 
rally,  but  muft  be  given  it. 

This  power  or  ability  can  be  produced  by  no  other, 
but  the  Spirit  of  God.  And  that  becaufe  it  requires  Om¬ 
nipotency,  to  the  producing  of  it ;  and  there  is  none  al¬ 
mighty  but  he.  None  but  he  that  could  make  a  world, 
bring  light  out  of  darknefs,  raife  the  dead,  can  do  this. 

— Indeed  the  Spirit  of  God  in  thefe  works  find  only 
Impotency  in  the  fubjedt  but  no  refiftence  ;  whereas  here 
he  meets  with,  not  only  a  total  debility  in  the  creature 
to  join  with  him  in  it,  but  alfo  a  malignant  oppofition 
to  it  -,  there  being  nothing  which  the  heart  of  man  is 
-more  averfe  to,  than  coming  to  Chrift  and  believing  in 
him.” 

Page  442.  As  to  the  necefiity  of  (a  legal)  eonvidfion  or 
preparation,  he  thus  obferves.  “  This  conviction  hath 
no  caufal  influence  unto  paffive  converfion.  All  the 
neceffity  that  can  be  urged  on  that  account,  is  only  that 
of  concomilancy.  The  Spirit  of  God  hath  done  this  in 
luch  as  were  not  capable  of  convidtion  under  and  by  the 
means.  Judicious  divines  judge  that  Jeremiah  and  John 
the  Baptijl  were  converted  before  they  were  born.  And 
it  is  to  be  believed  that  eledt  infants  dying  in  their  infan¬ 
cy,  have  the  new  creature  formed  in  them,  without  which 
they  could  not  be  faved.  John  3.  3.  Verily  >  verily  I  jay 

unit 


APPENDIX.  73 

tin  to  thee ,  except  a  man  he  born  again ,  he  cannot  fee  the  king¬ 
dom  of  God.  And  poffibiy  ihis  work  is  done  for  others 
that  live,  before  we  are  aware  of  it,  who  have  given  evi- 
dence  of  their  ferioufnels  from  their  infancy.  However, 
the  man  can  no  more  convert  himfelf  upon  thefe  con¬ 
victions,  than  he  could  before,  nor  is  it  eafier  for  the 
fpirit  to  do  it  now.  Whenever  it  is  done,  it  mud  be  s 
creating  power,  in  which  God  ufeth  no  injlrument ,  hut  afls 
immediately  .** 

Page  455.  There  mud  be  a  renewing  change  wrought 
in  the  will,  in  order  to  its  being  enabled  to  clofe  with 
Chrid.  Could  we  fuppofe  never  fo  much  light  let  into 
the  underdanding,  caufing  it  to  difeern  all  the  preciouf- 
nefs  of  Chrid  as  he  is  revealed  in  the  gofpel  ;  yet  if  the 
will  remain  in  the  fame  podure  it  is,  in  the  man’s  na¬ 
tural  edate,  it  would  be  impoffible  for  it  to  chufe  Chrid, 
and  to  love  him.  There  mud  therefore  be  a  renovation 
on  it.  When  therefore  the  apodle  had  fpoken  of  our 
being  renewed  in  the  image  of  cur  mind,  Eph.  4.  23.  .he 
exemplifies  it  with  refpedt  to  the  will,  verf.  24.  And 
that  ye  put  on  the  new  man ,  which  after  God  is  created  m 
righteoufnefs ,  and  true  holinefs.  A  new  underdanding, 
without  a  new  heart,  will  never  amount  to  a  thorough 
converfion.  As  long  as  the  will  remains  poffifTed  of'cor^ 
rupt  luds,  and  hath  no  power  in  it,  it  can  never  embrace 
Chrid. 

This  renewing  change  is  wrought,  by  creating  a  new 
principle  of  faving  grace  in  the  will  and  affdlions.  It  is 
certain  that  if  ever  the  man  believe,  he  mud  have  power 
to  believe.  This  power  is  that  which  we  call  the  habit 
of  faich  *,  which  habit  is  not  infufed  by  itfelf,but  together 
with  all  the  other  regenerating  graces,  which  are  wrought 
in  the  foul  by  the  Spirit.  This  is  that  which  is  called 
the  giving  of  a  new  heart,  and  the  putting  in  of  a  new 
fpirit,  &c.  Ezek.  36.  26.  Which  cannot  intend  new 
faculties,  but  a  new  faving  imptedion  of  grace  on  the 
faculties  of  the  foul  in  the  man. 

K  Mr, 


74  APPENDIX. 

Mr.  Flavel  aflerts  the  priority  of  the  work  of  regene¬ 
ration  to  faith  in  Chrift,  in  the  following  words. 

“  For  look  as  the  blood  of  Chrift  is  the  fountain  of 
all  merit,  fo  the  Spirit  of  Chrift  is  the  fountain  of  all  fpi- 
ritual  life.  And  until  he  quicken  us,  fi.  e.)  infufe  the 
principle  of  divine  life  into  our  fouls,  we  can  put  forth  ! 
no  hand,  or  vital  ad  of  faith,  to  lay  hold  upon  Jefus 
Chrift. — This  his  quickening  work,  is  therefore  the  iirjl  ; 
in  order  of  nature  to  our  union  with  Chrift,  and  funda-  \ 
mental  to  all  other  ads  of  grace  done  and  performed  by 
us,  from  our  firft  doling  with  Chrift,  throughout  the  I 
whole  courfe  of  our  obedience.”  Method  of  grace,  fer.  5. 

Mr.  Flavel’ s'  firft  head  in  the  fame  difcourfe  is,  “Briefly  1 
to  reprefent  the  necefTary  antecedency  of  this  quickening 
work  of  the  Spirit,  to  our  jirlt  clofmg  with  Chrift  by 
faith.  This,  (he  fays)  will  eafily  Jet  itfelf  into  your  un-  ; 
derftanding,  if  you  will  but  confider  the  nature  of  the  | 
viral  ad  of  faith  ;  which  is  the  foul’s  receiving  of  Chrift, 
and  refting  upon  him  for  pardon  and  falvation.” 

After  having  infifted  upon  this  antecedency  of  regene-  \ 
ration  to  faith,  he  ftarts  this  qaeflion,  and  gives  the  fol¬ 
lowing  folution. 

“  Quell.  But  here  it  may  be  doubted,  and  objeded 
againft  this  poficion.  If  we  cannot  believe  till  we  are 
quickened  with  fpiritual  life,  as  you  fay,  and  cannot  be 
juftified  till  we  believe,  as  all  lay,  then  it  will  follow,  that 
a  regenerate  foul  may  be  in  ftate  of  condemnation  for  a 
time  and  conlequently  perifh,  if  death  fhould  befall  him 
in  that  jundure.” 

“  Sol.  To  this  I  return  5  That  when  we  fpeak  of  the  ' 
priority  of  this  quickening  work  of  the  Spirit  to  our  adual 
believing,  we  rather  underftand  it  of  the  priority  of  na¬ 
ture,  than  of  time ,  the  nature  and  order  of  the  work  re¬ 
quiring  it  to  be  fo  •,  a  vital  principle  muft,  in  order  of 
nature  be  infufed,  before  a  vital  ad  can  be  exerted.  Firft 
make  the  tree  good,  and  then  the  fruit  good  :  And  ad¬ 
mit  wc  fhould  grant  Ibme  priority  in  time  alfo  to  this 

quickening. 


APPENDIX.  7 } 

quickening  principle,  before  acftual  faith  ;  yet  the  abfur- 
dity  mentioned  would  be  no  way  confequent  upon  this 
concefiaon  :  For  as  the  vital  adt  of  faith  quickly  follows 
the  regenerating  principle,  fo  the  foul  is  abundantly  le- 
cured  againfl  the  danger  objected  •,  God  never  beginning 
any  fpecial  work  of  grace  upon  the  foul,  and  then  leaving 
it,  and  the  foul  with  it,  in  hazard  ;  but  preferves  both 
to  the  finifhing  and  compleating  of  his  gracious  defign, 
Phil.  i.  6.”  Ibid. 

The  fame  author  abundantly  afferts,  that  regeneration 
is  a  fupernatural  effecft,  produced  by  the  exertion  of  al¬ 
mighty  power ,  and  that  we  are  therein  wholly  pajfivs.  His 
very  dodlrine  in  the  above  mentioned  difcourfe  is  this  j 
“  That  thole  fouls,  which  have  union  with  Chriff,  are 
quickened  with  a  fupernatural  principle  of  life  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  order  thereunto 

Again,  “  As  it  is  faid  of  the  two  witnefies,  Rev.  xi,  • 
ii.  Who  l?.y  dead  in  a  civil  fenfe,  three  days  and  an 
half,  that  the  fpirit  of  life  from  God  entered  into  them  ; 
fo  it  is  here  in  a  fpiritual  fenfe,  the  fpirit  of  life  from 
God  enters  into  the  dead,  carnal  heart  :  it  is  all  by  way 
of  fupernatural  infufion .” - Ibid. 

Again.  “In  the  next  place,  according  to  the  method 
propofed,  I  am  obliged  to  fhew  you,  that  this  quicken¬ 
ing  work  is  wholly  fupernatural  ■,  it  is  the  foie  and  proper 
work  of  the  fpirit  of  God.  So  Chrift  himfelf  exprefsly 
afierts  it,  in  Joh.  3.  6,  8.  ‘That  which  is  bom  of  the  fiefh 
is  flefh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  fpirit,  is  Jpirit  :  the 
wind  bloweth  where  it  lifteth,  and  thou  heareft  the 
found  thereof,  but  canft  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  nor 
whither  it  goeth,  lo  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  fpi¬ 
rit.  Believers  are  the  birth,  or  offspring  of  the  fpirit, 
whoproduceth  the  new  creature  in  them  in  an  unintel¬ 
ligible  manner  even  to  themlelves.  So  far  is  it  above 
their  own  ability  to  produce ,  that  it  is  above  fheir  capacity 
to  underftand  the  way  of  its  production. — We  can  con¬ 
tribute  nothing)  I  mean  actively)  tp  the  production  of  tins 

principle 


76  APPENDIX ; 


principle  of  life.  We  may  indeed  be  faid  to  concur 
pftjfively,  with  the  fpirit  in  it  ;  that  is,  there  is  found  in 
us  a  capacity*  aptneis  or  receptivemfs  of  this  principle  of 
life.  Our  nature  is  endowed  with  fuch  faculties  and 
powers  as  are  meet  fubjeCts  to  receive,  and  inftruments 
to  aCt  this  fpirirual  life  :  God  only  quickens  the  ratio¬ 
nal  nature  with  fpiritual  life.” 

“  It  is  true  alfo,  rhat  in  the  progrefs  oF  fan&ification, 
a  man  doth  actively  concur  with  the  fpirit  •,  but  in  the 
production  of  this  principle  he  can  do  nothing  \  he  can  in¬ 
deed  perform  thofe  external  duties  that  have  a  remote 
tendency  to  it,  but  he  cannot  by  the  power  of  nature 
perform  any  faving  adt,  or  contribute  any  thing  more 
than  a  pajfive  capacity  to  the  implantation  of  a  new  prin¬ 
ciple  :  as  will  appear  by  the  following  arguments.” 

“  Arg.  i.  He  that  actively  concurs  to  his  own  rege¬ 
neration,  makes  himfelf  to  differ  \  but  this  is  denied  to 
all  regenerate  men,  i  Cor.  iv.  7.  Who  maketh  thee  to  dif¬ 
fer  from  another  ?  And  what  haft  thou ,  that  thou  didji  not 
receive 

*■  Arg.  2.  That  to  which  the  feripture  aferibes  both 
impotency  and  enmity  with  refpeCt  to  grace,  cannot  ac - 
fively,  and  of  itfelf  concur  to  the  production  of  it  :  but 
the  feripture  aferibes  both  impotency  and  enmity  to  na¬ 
ture,  with  refpeCt  to  grace.  It  denies  to  it  a  power  to 
do  any  thing  of  itfelf,  John  xv.  5.  And  which  is  lefs,  it 
denies  to  it  a  power  to  fpeak  a  good  word,  Mat.xii.  34. 
And  which  is  leaft  of  all,  it  denies  it  power  to  think  a 
good  thought.  2  Cor.  iii.  5.  This  impotency,  if  there  were 
r>o  more,  cuts  off  all  pretence  of  our  active  concurrence. 
But  then,  if  we  confider  that  it  aferibes  enmity  to  our 
natures,  as  well  as  impotency,  how  clear  is  the  cafe!  See 
Korn.  viii.  7.  The  carnal  mind  is  enmjtv  againfl  God . 
And  Col.  i.  21.  And  you  that  wen  enemies  in  your  minds 
$>y  wicked  works.  So  then  nature  is  fo  far  productive  of 
this  principle,  as  impotency  and  enmity  can  enable  it  to 


1 


1 


APPENDIX.  77 

85  Arg.  3.  That  which  is  of  natural  produdiion  muft 
needs  be  fubjedt  to  natural  diffolution.  That  which  is 
born  of  the  flefh,  is  flefh  ;  a  perifhing  thing  ;  for  every 
thing  is  as  its  principle  is,  and  there  can  be  no  more  in 
the  effect  than  there  is  in  the  caufc.  But  this  princi¬ 
ple  of  fpiritual  life  is  not  fubjedt  to  diffoiution.  It  is 
the  water  which  fprings  up  into  everlafting  life,  John 
iv.  14.  The  feed  of  God  which  remaineth  in  the  rege¬ 
nerate,  1  John  iii.  9.  And  all  becaufe  it  is  born  not  of 
corruptible,  but  incorruptible  feed,  1  Pet.  1.  23.” 

88  Arg.  4.  If  our  new  birth  be  our  refurredtion,  a  new, 
creation,  yea  a  vidtory  of  our  nature,  then  we  cannot 
ftSlively  contribute  to  its  produdtion.  But  under  all  thefe, 
notions  it  is  reprefented  to  us  in  the  fcriptures.  It  is. 
our  refurredtion  from  the  dead,  Eph.  v.  14.  And  you 
know  the  body  is  wholly  paffive  in  its  refurredtion.  But 
tho’  it  concurs  nor,  yet  it  gives  pre-exiftent  matter. 
Therefore  the  metaphor  is  defignedly  varied,  Eph,  iv, 
24.  Where  it  is  called  a  creation  in  which  there  is  nei¬ 
ther  adlive  concurrence  nor  pre-exiftent  matter.  But  tho* 
creation  excludes  pre-exiftent  matter,  yet  in  producing 
fomething  out  of  nothing,  there  is  no  reludtancy  or  op- 
poftcion,  Therefore  to  (how  how  purely  fupernatur al 
this  principle  of  life  is,  it  is  cloathed  and  reprefented  tQ 
us  in  the  notion  of  a  viflory,  2  Cor.  x  23.  And  fo  leaves 
all  to  grace.” 

88  Arg.  5.  If  nature  could  produce,  or  actively  concur  t<$ 
the  produdtion  of  this  Jupermtural  life,  then  the  beft  na-r 
tures  would  be  fooneft:  quickened  with  it ;  and  the  worff 
natures  not  at  all,  or  at  laft,  and  leaft:  of  all.  But  con- 
trarily,  we  fiod  the  worft  natures  often  regenerated,  and 
the  beft  left  in  the  ftate  of  fpiritual  death.  With  how 
many  fweet  homiletical  virtues  was  the  young  man  a- 
dorned  ?  Mark  x.  21.  yet  gracclefs  ;  and  what  a  fink 
of  fin  was  Mary  Magdalen,  Luke  vii.  37.  Yet  fandtified. 
Thus  beautiful  Rachel  is  barren,  while  Leah  bears  chil¬ 
dren,  And  there  is  fcarce  any  thing  that  affedb  »d 


7S  APPENDIX ; 

melts  the  hearts  of  Chriftians  more,  than  this  compara¬ 
tive  confideration  doth,  when  they  confider  veftels  of 
gold  caft  away,  and  leaden  ones  chofen  ior  fuch  noble 
ufes.  So  that  it  is  plain  enough  to  all  wife  and  hum¬ 
ble  fouls,  that  this  new  life  is  wholly  of  fupernatural  pro* 
duftion.” — Ibid. 

Again.  “But  though  we  cannot  pry  Into  thefe  fecrets 
by  the  eye  of  reafon,  yet  God  hath  revealed  this  to  us 
in  his  word,  ,that  it  is  wrought  by  his  own  almighty 
power,  Eph.  i.  19.  The  apoltle  afcribes  this  work  to  the 
exceeding greatnefs  of  the  power  of  God.  And  this  mult 
needs  be,  if  we  confider,  how  the  fpirit  of  God  exprefies 
it  in  fcripture  by  a  new  creation  •,  (i.  e.)  a  giving  being 
to  fomething,  out  of  nothing,  Eph.  2.  10.  In  this  it  dif¬ 
fers  from  all  the  efffdts  of  human  power  •,  for  men  al¬ 
ways  work  upon  fome  pre-exillent  matter,  but  here 
there  is  no  fuch  matter.  All  that  is  in  man,  the  fubjedt 
of  this  work,  is  only  a  paffive  capacity,  or  receptivity ,  but 
nothing  is  found  in  him  to  contribute  towards  this  work. 
This  fupernatural  life  is  not,  nor  can  be  educed  out  of 
nacural  princinles.  This  wholly  tranfcends  the  fphere  of 
all  natural  power  .’* — Ibid. 

The  teftimony  of  this  author  is  alfo  very  exprefs, 
th2t  regeneration  is  effected  inHantaneoufly.  His  words 
are  thefe,  “  This  infufion  offpiritual  life  is  done  injlan- 
Jlaneoufly ,  as  all  creation- work  is.  Hence  it  is  refembied 
to  that  p  la  flic  power,  which  in  a  moment  made  the  light 
to  fhine  out  of  darknefs  ;  juft  lo  God  fhines  into  our 
hearts,  2  Cor.  iv-  6.” 

“  It  is  true,  a  foul  may  be  a  long  time  under  the 
preparatory  work  of  the  fpirit ;  he  may  be  under  con¬ 
victions  and  humiliations,  purpofes  and  refolutions  a 
long  time, — attending  the  means  and  ordinances  ;  but 
when  the  fpirit  comes  to  quicken  the  foul,  it  is  done 
in  a  moment  :  even  as  it  is  in  the  infufion  of  the  rational 
foul,  the  body  is  long  e’re  it  is  prepared  and  moulded, 
but  when  once  prepared  and  ready,  it  is  quickened  with 
she  fpirit  of  life  in  an  instant.’*/  Ibid.  Do  ft. 


APPENDIX.  79 

Do£t.  Wits  or  Witfius,  a  noted  Dutch  divine  of  the 
3aft  age,  fometime  colleague  with  Van  Majlricht  in  the 
Profeflorfhip  at  Utrecht,  afterwards  Regent  of  the  Divi¬ 
nity  College  of  the  Sates  of  Holland  and  Weft-Friefland, 
in  his  (Economy  of  the  Covenants  under  the  head  of  Effec¬ 
tual  Calling,  Page  471  of  Dr.  Crookfhank’s  translation, 
thus  obferves, 

44  The  external  call  will  bring  none  to  communion 
with  Chrift,  unleis  it  be  accompanied  with  the  internal y 
which  is  accompli (hed  not  only  by  perfuafion  and  com¬ 
mand,  but  by  the  powerful  operation  of  the  Spirit. 
There  is  a  certain  cal]  of  God,  whereby  he  makes  the 
things,  he  calls,  to  exift,  by  that  very  call.  By  fuch  a 
call,  he  calletb  thofe  things  which  be  not ,  as  though  they  were. 
Rom.  4.  17.  For,  when  he  faid,  let  there  be  light,  im¬ 
mediately  there  was  light,  Gen.  r.  3.  Not  unlike  this  is 
that  internal  call  of  the  fpirit,of  which  the  apoftle  writes, 
2  Cor.  4.  6.  God  who  commanded  the  light  to  Jhine  out  of 
darknefs ,  hath  fhintd  in  our  hearts. 

Here  God  exerts  his  infinite  power,  by  which  he  con- 
rerts  the  foul  no  lefs  powerfully  than  fweetly.  He 
writes  his  law  on  their  heart,  Jer.  31.  33.  Puts  the  reve¬ 
rence  of  himlelf  there,  Ezek.  1 1.  20.  And  not  only  calls 
them  from  darknefs  to  his  marvellous  light  ;  but  alfo, 
by  the  call,  draws  them,  not  to  (land  ftil!  in  the  path  of 
doubtful  deliberation,  but  to  run  after  him ,  Cant.  1.  4. 
Not  only  puts  them  in  an  equal  poile,  but  turns  them. 
Jer.  31.  18.  Not  only  advifes,  but  perfuades,  and  he  is 
dronger  and  prevails,  Jer.  20.  7.  Nor  does  hefollicic,  but 
tranjlate ,  Col.  1.  13.  Not  by  an  ordinary,  but  by  that 
mighty  power,  by  which  he  raifed  Chrift  from  the  dead. 
Eph.  1.  20.” 

Under  the  head  of  regeneration,  p.  476.  he  gives  this 
definition  of  it,  “  Regeneration  is  that  [up  er  natural  aft 
of  God ,  whereby  a  new  and  divine  life  is  infufed  into  the  elefl 
ptrfon,  fpiritually  dead ,  and  that  from  the  incorruptible  feed  of 
the  word  of  God,  made  fruitful  by  the  infinite  power  of  the 

Spirit , 


8o  APPENDIX. 

Spirit.  *  He  then  obfcrves  upon  the  fpiritual  death  of  e 
Jfinners,  “  that  they  are  fpiritually  infenfible  of  all  fpiri-  o 
tual  things,  and  deflitute  of  all  true  feeling  ; — nor  have  1 
they  any  relifh  for  divine  grace,  becaufe  it  has  not  yet 
been  conferred  upon  them  ;  nor  any  longing  after  hea-  c 
venly  things,  being  ignorant  of  their  worth.  They  arel  j 
wholly  incapable  of  every  adt  of  true  life.~-The  under- ' 
(landing  is  overfpread  with  dilmal  darknefs.  The  will 
has  no  tendency  to  things  unknown  :  and  thus  all  the, 
things  of  God  are  defpifed  by  it  as  mean.”  Page  478. 

“  By  regeneration  a  new  life  is  put  into  the  eledl,  relult-  j 
ing  from  a  gracious  union  with  God  and  his  Spirit.  ! 
For,  what  the  foul  is  to  the  body,  that  God  is  to  the 
foul.  Moreover,  this  fpiritual  life  may  be  confidered, 
either  by  way  of  faculty ,  and  in  the  firfi  afly  in  the  ufual 
language  of  the  fchools  j  or  by  way  of  operation,  and  in 
th fecond  aft.  In  the  former  refpedl,  it  is  that  inward 
conititution  of  the  foul,  whereby  it  is  fitted  to  exert  thofe  j 
adlions,  which  are  acceptable  to  God  in  Chrifl,  by  the  1 
power  of  the  fpirit  uniting  it  to  God  :  whether  fuch  ac-  j 
tions  immediately  flow  from  that  principle,  or  whether 
they  lie  concealed  for  fome  time,  as  fruits  in  their  feed. 

In  the  latter  refpetfl,  it  is  that  adlivity  of  the  living  foul,  i 
by  which  it  adts  agreeably  to  the  command  of  God,  and 
the  example  of  Chrifl. 

If  we  confider  this  firfi  principle  of  life,  there  is  not 
the  leafl  doubt,  but  regeneration  is  accomplifhed  in  a  I 
moment.  For  there  is  no  delay  in  the  tranfition  from 
death  to  life.  No  intermediate  flate  between  the  rege¬ 
nerate  and  unregenerate  can  be  imagined  fo  much  as  in 
thought,  if  we  mean  regeneration  in  the  firfi  adt  :  for 

one 

*  Doft.  Witput  probably  Intends  the  fame  kind  of  inflrumentali;/ 
of  the  word  as  D oft.  Van  Majlrirbt,  when  he  calls  it  l'tnly  a  mtral  in- 
firument  of  regeneration,'*  and  that  not  fo  properly  to  regeneration  in 
the  firft  aft,  (which  feems  to  confift,  according  to  thefe  authors,  in 
fruftifyiog  or  snaking  fruitful  the  word,  or  rather  in  laying  a  founda¬ 
tion  for  the  words  becoming  fruitful. in  which  the  word  cannot  be  an 
inftrumentjas  to  regeneration  in  (hs  iecocd  a&  or  coafetjuent  exe/cifei  j 
(sc  extracts  from  Do  ft.  Ridgley, 


APPENDIX 1  8f 

©ne  is  either  dead  or  alive  :  either  the  child  of  God,  or 
of  the  devil  ;  either  in  the  way  to  falvation  or  damnation. 
There  neither  is,  nor  can  be  any  medium  here. 

Hence  it  appears,  there  are  no  preparations  ante¬ 
cedent  to  the  firft  beginning  ©f  regeneration  5  becaufe 
previous  to  that, nothing  but  meredeath  in  the  higheft  de¬ 
gree  is  to  be  found  in  the  perfon  to  be  regenerated.  When 
we  were  DEAD  IN  SINS,  he  hath  quickened  us  toge¬ 
ther  with  Chrift,  Eph.  2.  5.  And  indeed  the  icripture 
reprefents  man’s  converfion  byfuch  limilitudes,  as  {how, 
that  all  preparations  are  entirely  excluded  ;  iometimes 
calling  it  a  new  ^generation  to  which,  certainly,  none  can 
contribute  any  thing  of  himlelf  :  But  yet,  as  natural  ge-  . 
neration  prefuppofesiome  difpofitions  in  the  matter  ;  fo, 
that  we  may  not  imagine  any  fuch  thing  to  be  in  our- 
felves  but  from  God,  we  have  this  held  forth  by  the 
limilitudc  of  a  refurreflion  •,  in  which  a  body  is  reflored 
from  matter,  prepared  by  no  qualifications  :  yet  becaufe 
here,  certainly  is  matter,  but  in  the  refurredion  of  the 
feul  there  is  nothing  at  all,  therefore  we  have  added 
the  figure  of  a  creation,  Pf.  51.  10,  Eph.  2.  io.By  which 
we  are  taught,  that  a  new  creature  exifts  from  a  Spiritual 
nothing,  which  is  fin  ;  but  as  there  was  not  fomething  in 
nothing,  to  afififl  and  fuflain  creation ;  fo  there  was  no¬ 
thing  to  oppofe  and  refill  5  but  fin  is  fo  far  from  fub- 
mitting  to  what  God  does,  that  it  is  reludant  thereto* 
and  in  an  hoftiie  manner  at  enmity  with  him  :  accord¬ 
ingly  the  other  images  did  not  fully  complete  the  idea 
of  this  admirable  adion,  till  at  length  it  is  called  the 
viElory  of  God  :  Vidorv,  I  fay,  over  the  devil  who  main¬ 
tains  his  palace,  Luke  11.  21,  and  effedually  worketh 
in  the  children  of  difobedience,  Eph.  2.  2.  All  thefe 
operations  of  God  tend  to  exclude,  as  much  as  poflible, 
all  preparations  from  the  beginning  of  our  regeneration.’* 

He  then  goes  ©n  to  cenfure  the  Semi-pelagian*  of  Mer- 
feilles,  “  who  infifted  that  a  man  comes  to  the  grace 
whereby  we  are  regenerated  in  Chrift,  by  a  natural  fa- 

L  culty  3 


Zi 


APPENDIX . 


culty ;  as  by  afking,  fceking,  knocking,  and  that,  in  fome 
at  lead,  before  they  are  born  again,  there  is  a  kind  of  re¬ 
pentance  going  before,  together  with  aforrow  for  fin,  and 
a  change  of  life  for  the  better,  and  a  beginning  of  faith, 
and  an  initial  love  of  God,  and  a  defire  of  grace.  And 
tho’  they  did  not  look  on  thefe  endeavours  to  be  of  fuch 
importance,  as  that  it  could  be  faid,  we  were  thereby 
rendered  worthy  of  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  as 
Pelagius  and  Julian  profeffed  i  Yet  they  imagined,  they 
were  an  occafion  by  which  God  was  moved,  to  beftow 
his  grace/’  And  likewife  the  remonjlrants ,  who  write, 
that  “  fome  work  of  man  goes  before  his  vivifi cation  *,  namely 
to  acknowledge  and  bewail  his  death ,  to  will ,  and  defire  deli¬ 
verance  from  it  ;  to  hunger ,  thlrfi  andfeek  after  life”  He 
obferves  “  there  is  little  accuracy  in  the  reafonings  of 
thefe  men.  For,  ift.  Since  our  nature  is  become  like  an 
evil  tree,  it  can  produce  no  fruit  truly  good  and  accept¬ 
able  to  God,  and  do  nothing,  by  which  it  can  prepare 
itfelf  for  the  grace  of  regeneration.  2dly.  It  has 
been  found,  that  they,  who,  in  appearance  were,  in  the 
belt  manner  dilpofed  for  regeneration,  were  yet  at  the 
greateft  diftance  from  it,  as  the  inftance  of  that  young 
man,  Mark  19.  21,  22,  very  plainly  fhews,  3dly.  And 
on  the  other  hand,  they,  who  had  not  even  the  leaft  ap¬ 
pearance  of  any  preparation,  as  the  publicans  and  har¬ 
lots,  went  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  before  thofe  who 
were  civilly  righteous  and  externally  religious.  4thly. 
God  teftifies,  that  in  the  firfl:  approach  of  his  grace,  he 
is  found  of  them,  that  fought  him  not ,  and  afked  not  for  him. 
Ifa,  65,  1.  Fulgentius  fays  extremely  well  :  We  have 
not  certainly  received  grace,  becanje  we  are  willing ,  but  grace 
is  given  us,  while  we  are  fill  unwilling .” 

He  then  obferves,  p.  483,  upon  the  preparations 
which  have  been  admitted  by  fome  of  the  reformed  as 
Perkins,  Ames,  and  the  Britifh  Divines  at  the  Synod  of 
Port,  “  who  have  affigned  in  perfons  to  be  regenerated, 
jft.  A  breaking  off  the  natural  obftinacy,  and  a  flexibi- 


APPENDIX.  S3 

lity  of  the  will.  2.  A  ferious  confederation  of  the  law. 
3.  A  confideration  of  their  own  fins  and  offences  againft 
God.  4.  A  legal  fear  of  punifhmcnt,  and  a  dread  of 
hell,  and  confequcntly  a  defpairing  of  their  falvation, 
with  refpedt  to  any  thing  in  themfelves.”  Thefe,  he 
acknowledges,  differ  from  the  favourers  of  Pelagianifm 
in  the  following  manner,  iff.  That  they  are  not  for  hav¬ 
ing  thefe  things  to  proceed  from  nature,  but  profefs 
them  to  be  the  effects  of  the  fpirit  of  bondage,  prepar¬ 
ing  a  way  to  himfclf,  for  their  actual  regeneration.  2dly« 
That  they  are  not  for  God’s  bellowing  the  grace  of  re¬ 
generation  from  a  regard  to,  and  moved  by  occafion  of, 
thefe  preparations,  much  lefs  by  any  merit  in  them  ; 
but  they  imagine  that  God,  in  this  manner,  levels  a  way 
for  himfelf,  fills  up  'vallies,  deprefifes  mountains  and  hills, 
in  order  the  better  to  fmooth  the  way  for  his  entrance 
into  that  foul.”  Upon  which  he  obferves,  “We  really 
think  they  argue  mor«  accurately,  who  make  thefe  and 
the  like  things  in  the  eledt,  to  be  preparations  to  the 
further  and  more  perfect  operations  of  a  more  noble  and 
plentiful  fpirit,  and  fo  aot  preparations  for  regeneration, 
but  the  fruits  and  cffedts  of  the  firft  regeneration  :  For 
as  thefe  things  fuppole  fome  life  of  the  foul,  which  fpi- 
ritually  attends  to  fpiritual  things,  and  are  operations  of 
the  fpirit  of  God  ;  when  going  about  to  fandtify  the 
elect  ;  we  cannot  but  refer  them  to  the  fpirit  of  grace 
and  regeneration.” 

P.  485.  If  this  matter  be  more  clofely  confidered,  we 
flhall  find,  that  the  orthodox  differ  more  in  words,  and 
in  the  manner  of  explaining,  than  in  fenfe  and  reality. 
For,  the  term,  regeneration,  is  of  ambiguous  fignificati- 
on  ;  fometimes  it  is  blended  with  fandtification,  and  by 
regeneration  is  underftood  that  adtion  of  God,  whereby 
man,  who  is  now  become  the  friend  of  God,  and  endow¬ 
ed  with  fpiritual  life,  adls  in  a  righteous  and  holy  man¬ 
ner,  from  infufed  habits.  And  then  it  is  certain,  there 
are  fome  effeds  of  the  fpirit,  by  which  he  ufualiy  pre¬ 
pares 


84  APPENDIX : 

pares  them  for  the  actings  of  complete  faith  and  holi- 
nels  j  for,  a  knowledge  of  divine  truths,  a  fenfe  of  mi- 
fery,  forrow  for  fin,  hope  of  pardon,  &c.  go  before  any 
one  can  fiducially  lay  hold  on  Chrift,  and  apply  him- 

felf  to  the  praftice  of  true  godlinefs.* - But  fometimes 

regeneration  denotes  the  fir  ft  tranflation  of  a  man  from 
a  ftate  of  death,  to  a  ftate  of  fpiritual  life  ;  in  which  fenfe 
\ye  take  it.  And  in  that  fenfe  none  of  the  orthodox,  if 
he  will  fpeak  confiftently  with  his  own  principles,  can 
fuppofe  preparatory  works  to  the  grace  of  regenera* 
tion.” 

P.  489.  “  After  a  principle  of  fpiritual  life  is  infufed 
into -the  elect  foul  by  regeneration,  divine  grace  does 
not  always  proceed  therein,  in  the  fame  method  and  or¬ 
der.  It  is  poftible  that  for  foine  time,  the  fpirit  of  the 
life  of  Chrift  may  lie,  as  it  were  dormant  in  fome  falmoft 
in  the  lame  manner,  as  vegetative  life  in  the  feed  of  a 
plant,  or  fenfitiv-e  life  in  the  feed  of  an  animal,  or  a  poe¬ 
tical  genius  ia  one  born  a  poet)  fo  as  that  no  vital  ope¬ 
rations  can  yet  proceed  therefrom,  tnoJ  favingly  united 
to  Chrift,  the  fountain  of  true  life  by  the  fpirit.  This 
is  the  cafe  with  refpeft  to  eleft  and  regenerate  infantSL, 
whofe  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  who  therefore  are 
reckoned  among  believers  and  faints,  th®’  unqualified 
thro’ age,  affuallyto  believe  and  praflife  godlinefs.” 

Doff.  Le  Blanc,  a  noted  divine  of  the  Reformed 
Church  in  France  in  the  laft  century,  tho’  perhaps  not 
entirely  friendly  himfelf  to  the  fentiments  which  Van 
Maflricht  has  advanced  upon  the  fubjeft  of  regeneration 
and  efficacious  grace  ;  yet  allows  the  general  fentiments 
of  the  reformed  church  to  be  fuch  as  are  conformable  t® 
his,  as  the  following  extrafls  fhew.  In  the  Ihtfis  con¬ 
cerning  the  diftinftion  between  fufficient  and  efficacious 
grace  among  proteftants  :  After  giving  the  fentiments 
of  the  Lutherans  and  Remonftrants,  and  obferving  that 
the  Reformed  generally  renounce  the  diftinftion,  he  thus 
further  explains  their  fentiments  concerning  divine  grace. 

Page  1 3. 


APPENDIX.  gy 

Page  '?■  “IS  is  the  common  opinion  of  all  the  Re¬ 
formed  who  adhere  to  the  fynod  of  Dort,  that  the  grace 
of  God,  to  which  is  to  beaferibed  the  converfion  of  man 
and  all  the  good  works  which  follow  thereupon,  is  effec¬ 
tual  of  itfelf  \  nor  doth  its  efficacy  in  any  meafure  de¬ 
pend  upon  the  co-operation  or  confent  of  the  will  of 
man  ;  fince  it  is  the  infallible  caule  of  that  confent  or 
co-operation.  And  this  is  agreeable  to  the  decrees  of 
the  Synod  of  Dort.  For  that  Synod  condemn  thofe, 
who  teach  that  God ,  in  the  work  of  regeneration ,  doth  not 
put  forth  his  almighty  power,  whereby  he  powerfully  and  in¬ 
fallibly  determinetb  the  will  to  faith  and  converfion  :  but  that, 
Juppofing  all  the  operations  of  grace ,  which  God  ufeth  in  con¬ 
verfion ,  man  can  fo  redd  God  and  the  Spirit ,  when  defigning 
and  willing  -  to  regenerate  him ,  and  oft  times  aflually  doth  fo 
refijl,  as  utterly  to  hinder  his  regeneration  ;  and  that  therefore 
it  remains  in  the  power  of  man,  whether  te  be  regenerated  or 
not.  They  alfo  condemn  thofe  who  teach,  that  grace  and 
free  will  are  joint  caufes  concurring  together  in  the  beginning 
of  converfion ,  and  that  grace  in  the  order  of  nature  doth  not 
precede  the  efficiency  of  the  will :  that  is,  that  God  doth  not 
effcacioufy  affifl  the  will  of  man  to  converfion ,  before  the  will 
or  man  movetb  and  determinetb  itfelf.  And  how  God  ef- 
fedleth  a  real  converfion  in  the  elect,  the  fame  Synod 
thus  cxplaineth.  He  not  only  caujeth  the  go  (pel  to  be  exter¬ 
nally  preached  unto  them  and  powerfully  illuminate th  their  minds 
by  the  Holy  Ghoft ,  fo  as  rightly  to  underfund  and  difeern  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  but  by  the  efficacy  of  the  fame. 
Spirit ,  in  his  regenerating  influences ,  Hepenetrateth  the  inmff 
receffes  of  the  foul  *,  openetb  tbtir  clojed  hearts*-,  fojteneth  their 
hard  hearts  *,  circumcifeth  their  uncircumcifed  hearts  infufetb 
new  qualites  into  the  will ;  and  oj  dead ,  maketb  it  alive  ;  of 
evil ,  maketh  it  good ;  of  unwilling ,  maketh  it  willing  ;  cfdif- 
obedient ,  obedient  ;  and  leadeth  and  frengthneth  it  ;  fo  that  i6 
is  enabled ,  like  a  good  tree ,  to  bring  forth  fruit  in  good  a  (Hons. 
And  in  the  next  article  they  add,  this  operation  of  God 
is  entirely  fupernatural,  alfo  mpft  powerful  and  pleafant, 

wonderful* 


86  APPENDIX. 

wonderful,  fecret,  and  ineffable  ;  not  lefs  than,  or  infe¬ 
rior  to,  the  power  exerted  in  creation,  or  the  refurredti- 
on  of  the  dead  •,  fo  that  all  they,  in  whofe  hearts  God 
worketh  in  this  wonderful  manner,  are  certainly,  infal¬ 
libly,  and  effe&ually  regenerated  and  converted. ” 

Page  15.  “  Altho*  the  divines  of  the  Reformed 

Church  agree  in  this,  that  grace  worketh  effectually,  not 
only  upon  the  undemanding,  but  alfo  upon  the  will  of 
man,  and  that  the  will  is  powerfully  and  infallibly  turn¬ 
ed  and  determined  thereby  to  that  which  is  good  ;  yet 
there  is  fome  difference  among  them,  about  the  manner 
in  which  grace  affeCteth  the  will  ;  fo  that  in  confequence 
thereof  it  fhould  turn  to  God,  and  eonfent  to  that  which 
is  good.” 

He  then  fpeaks  of  feveral,  as  f Tefard,  Amyrald  and 
Cameron ,  who  fuppofe  the  will  always  to  follow  the  laft 
dictate  of  the  underftanding  ;  and  that  the  will  is  chang¬ 
ed  and  renewed  by  a  powerful  illumination  of  the  un¬ 
derftanding,  agreeably  to  what  is  obferved  by  Van  Mafi- 
ricbt  concerning  Cameron  and  others,  §  xxvi.  “But  (faith 
he)  other  divines  of  the  Reformed  Church  hold,  that  the 
immediate  operation  of  grace  affe&eth,  not  only  the  un¬ 
derftanding,  by  illuminating  of  it  ;  and  infufing  new 
light  into  it-,  but  alfo  the  will,  in  which  it  really  and 
phffically  worketh  that  eonfent  which  it  yields  to  the  di¬ 
vine  commands.  This  opinion  DoCt.  Ames  lays  down 
and  explains  in  his  Bellarminus  enervatus,  lib.  iii°  de  gra¬ 
tia  cap.  3.  IVe  hold ,  faith  he,  that  together  with  moral 
JuaCton  there  is  joined  a  real  efficiency  of  God ,  by  which  a  new 
principle  of  fpiritual  life  is  eff  equally  wrought  in  the  heart  of 
man ,  and  he  at  the  fame  time  excited  to  put  forth  the  a  bis  of 
this  lije.  In  the  fame  place  he  fully  approves  and  ac¬ 
knowledges  as  his,  the  fentiment  of  Didacus  Alvares, 
which  is  that  God  by  the  affiftance  of  his  grace  doth 
phy fie  ally  or  after  the  manner  of  a  phyftcal  caufe,  effectu¬ 
ally  predetermine  the  will  of  the  creature,  fo  that  he 
infallibly  confent'eth  and  co-operateth  with  God,  cal¬ 
ling 


'APPENDIX.  87 

ling  and  inviting  him.  And  afterwardjs  ufing  the  words 
I  of  Alvares,he  faith,  that  phyfically  to  pre-determine  the 
will  is  nothing  elfe  than  truly,  efficiently  or  really  to 
f  make  the  will  infallibly  to  co-operate  with  God.” 

This  fame  author  further  obferves,  p.  19.  '“That 
there  is  a  feeming  contradiction  in  the  fentimentsof  the 
reformed  ;  who  univerfally  hold  that  man  freely  puts 
forth  the  firft  act  of converfion,  and  yet  that  he  is  merely 
paffive  in  the  work  of  regeneration  and  converfion  ;  for 
how  can  the  will  of  man  freely  put  forth  the  a 61  of  con¬ 
verfion,  and  yet  at  the  fame  time  be  merely  paffive 
in  converfion  ?  Can  the  will  be  merely  paffive,  when  it 
is  fuppofed  to  operate  freely  ?” 

“  The  Britifh  divines  f  he  obferves)  in  the  a6ts  of  the 
fynodofDort,  folve  this  difficulty,  by  obferving  that 
converfion  is  to  be  taken  in  a  two  fold  fenfe;  iff.  As 
it  denoteth  the  immediate  work  of  God  in  regeneration  : 
2dly.  As  it  denoteth  the  aftion  of  the  man  in  turning 
to  God,  by  faving  faith  and  repentance.  In  the  work 
of  regeneration  or  converfion,  taken  in  the  firft  fenfe, 
according  to  them,  man  is  merely  paffive,  nor  is  it  in 
the  power  of .  the  will  of  man  to  hinder  God  thus  im¬ 
mediately  converting  and  regenerating  :  But  in  conver¬ 
fion,  taken  in  the  other  fenfe,  the  will  being  influenced 
by  God,  is  aCtive,  and  putteth.  forth  thofe  aCtions,  in 
which  our  converfion  to  God  confifteth.  But  conver¬ 
fion,  as  it  denoteth  the  immediate  work  of  God,  they 
fay,  is  that  whereby  he  regenerated!,  and  as  it  were  cre- 
ateth  anew,  by  an  internal  and  wonderful  operation  the 
fouls  of  his  eleft,  who  have  been  before  exercifed  and 
prepared  by  various  workings  of  his  grace  ;  infufing  in¬ 
to  them  a  quickening  fpirit,  and  endowing  all  the  facul¬ 
ties  of  the  foul  with  new  qualities.” 

Much  to  the  fame  purpofe  (’tis  obferved)  was  the  o- 
pinion  of  the  Heffan  divines,  at  the  fame  fynod,  which 
ge  gives  us  in  the  following  words,  “  The  will  of  man ,  in 
the  reception  of  [uper  natural  qualities  or  faculties  and  power , 

and 


88 


APPENDIX, : 


find  alfo  in  the  reception  of  new  inclinations,  is  merely  paffive  t 
So  that  the  action  of  the  Holy  Spirit  infufing  that  /upernatural 
power  into  the  will,  &  turning  inclining  the  will  effectually  (I 
powerfully  to  faith  &  corner fton,  doth  not  depend  upon  the  will 
of  man  or  any  co-  operation  or  confent  of  it.  But  to  the  aCts  of 
faith,  love ,  hope,  & c.  and  all  good  exercifes,  a  man  is  not  merely 
paffive ,  hut  both  pafftve  and  a  Clive,  fince ,  being  influenced  and 
moved  by  the  previous  grace  of  God,  and  affided  by  his  fubfe- 
quent  grace,  he  is  aClive  in  the  exercifes  of  faith,  love,  hope  and 
other  virtues .” 

Dodt.  Ames,  profeflor  of  divinity  in  the  univerficy  of 
Franaker,  in  his  work,  entituled  Medulla  Fheologite  in  the 
chapter  concerning  eftedfual  calling,  from  fedt.  20,  to 
25,  thus  obferves,  “  The  reception  of  Chrift,  with  re- 
fpedt  to  man,  is  either  paffive  ©r  adtive,  Phil.  3.  12. 
*fhat  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which  alfo  I  am  apprehended 
of  Chrift.  The  paffive  reception  of  Chrift  is  that,  by 
which  a  fpiritual  principle  of  grace  is  begotten  in  the 
■will  of  man.  Eph.  2.  5.  He  hath  quickened  us.  For  this 
grace  is  the  foundation  of  that  relacion,  wherein  we  are 
united  to  Chrift.  John  3.  3.  Except  a  man  be  born  again, 
he  cannot  fee  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  will  is  the  moft 
proper  and  primary  lubjedt  of  this  grace,  becaufe  the 
converfion  of  the  will  is  the  effectual  principle  of  the 
converfion  of  the  whole  man,  Phil.  2.  13.  For  it  is  God 
that  t vorketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  goodpleafure. 
An  illumination  ef  the  mind  is  not  fufficientto  produce 
this  effcdt,  becaufe  it  doth  not  take  away  that  corruption 
which  is  featcd  in  the  will,  nor  doth  it  communicate 
thereto,  any  new  fupernatural  principle,  whereby  it  can 
convert  itfelf.  The  will  however,  with  refpedl  to  this 
firft  reception,  is  not  to  be  confidered  either  as  freely 
a&ive,  nor  as  irrationally  paffive  *,  but  as  a  fubjedt  ca¬ 
pable  of  obeying  the  divine  impreffion,  2  Cor.  4  6.  For 
God  who  commanded  the  light  to  point  out  of  darknefs%  hath 
(hined  in  our  hearts ,”  &c. 

Mr. 


APPENDIX ;  89 

Mr.  Rutherford,  a  noted  Scotch  divine  of  the  laft 
century,  in  his  Exercitationes  apologetic#  pro  gratia  divind , 
gives  his  fentiments  relative  to  the  will’s  following  the 
laft  didate  of  the  underftanding  (which  are  agreeable 
to  the  fentiments  of  Van  MaftrichtJ  in  the  following 
words,  p.  306. 

“  If  the  laft  judgment  of  the  underftanding  neceffa- 
rily  and  of  itfelf  determined  the  will,  grace  would  be¬ 
come  mere  fuafion,  nor  would  any  internal  grace  be 
neceftary  to  cure  the  will  j  to  remove  the  darknefs  of 
the  mind  and  inftrud  it  in  what  it  is  ignorant  of  would 
be  fufficient,  which  is  the  grace  of  Pelagians.  And  thus 
the  mind  ©f  a  reprobate  perfon,  by  an  acquired  habit  of 
faith,  and  by  clear  objective  evidence,  might  be  lo 
taught  (as  appears  to  me  pofliblein  the  prefent  cafe)  as 
to  dilcern  in  a  propofed  a£t  of  obedience,  1.  The  facili¬ 
ty.  2.  The  plealure.  3.  The  utility  •,  and  that  the  will 
fhould  not  in  the  prefent  cafe  (as  it  might  do)  turn  the 
mind  to  confider,  either  the  difficulty  of  it,  or  any  other 
thing,  wherein  it  might  appear  as  dilagreeable,  and  chat 
the  will  fhould  not  turn  the  mind,  from  the  contempla¬ 
tion  of  this  ad,  to  earthly  confiderations.  In  this  cafe 
a  perfon  might  believe,  without  his  will’s  ever  being 
healed,  and  perform  a  fupernatural  ad  ;  nor  would  there 
be  any  need  of  taking  away  the  heart  of  ftone  and  put¬ 
ting  within  us  a  heart  of  fiefh.  Nor  do  thofe  places  of 
feripture,  which  are  commonly  'objected  here,  prove  the 
contrary,  as  Pf.  9.  1©.  And  they  that  know  thy  name  will 
put  their  trufi  in  thee.  If  this  knowledge  (fay  they)  did 
not  determine  the  will,  it  might  be  that  they  that  know 
the  name  of  God  would  not  truft  in  the  Lord.  And 
alfo  John  4.  10.  If  thou  knewejl  the  gift  of  God,  and  who 
it  is  that  faith  unto  thee ,  give  me  to  drink  •,  thou  wouldjt 
have  ajked  of  him ,  and  he  would  have  given  thee  living  water. 
Now  if  this  knowledge  would  not  determine  the  will  to 
afk  living  water  of  Chrijt,  then  the  woman  might  have 
known  the  gift  of  God,  and  yet  not  have  afked  living 

M  water 


9o  APPENDIX. 

water  of  him  ;  and  fo  the  words  of  Chrift  would 
not  have  been  true.  Anf.  In  fuch  like  proportions', 
there  is  always  underftood  the  phyfical  agency  of  God, 
otherwife  if  it  be  taken  exadly  literal,  it  would  follow 
that  a  fpeculative  knowledge  of  the  objed  would  be  i 
fufficient  for  the  ad  of  faith,  without  the  infufion  of  a 
new  power  ;  which  no  one  will  pretend.” 

Dod.  Barman,  profeffor  of  divinity  in  the  univerfity 
of  Utrecht  thus  obferves,  relative  to  the  infufficiency  of 
illumination  to  renew  the  will,  p.  227,  of  his  I’heologia 
fynopfis ,  “Sandification  immediately  effeds  the  will,  which 
the  very  learned  Cameron  wrongly  denied,  aflerting  that 
the  other  faculties  of  the  foul  were  redifted  and  perfeded 
by  the  light  of  the  underftanding,  that  the  will  is  not 
immediately  affeded  j  but  always  follows  the  laft  didate 
of  the  underftanding.  Which  are  wrongly  conneded 
together  ;  fince  the  order  and  connedion  ofthefe  facul 
ties,  or  the  power  and  dominion  which  the  underftand¬ 
ing  exercifeth  over  the  will,  is  not  fuch,  that  the  will 
implicitly  followeth  the  fignal  held  up  by  the  under¬ 
ftanding.  Hence  it  happens  that  corruption  doth,  in 
fome  feefe,  cleave  more  ftrongly  to  the  will,  or  more 
deeply  affeds  it,  than  it  doth  the  underftanding  ;  hence 
the  will  cannot  be  excited,  or  move  itfclf,  according  to 
the  light  of  the  underftanding  alone.  That  the  illu¬ 
mination  of  the  underftanding  is  not  fufficient,  we  have 
full  proof  daily  from  thofe  who  are  reprobate.  There 
muft  be,  over  and  above  the  illumination  of  the  under¬ 
ftanding,  an  attention  in  the  will  :  Which  being  fup- 
pofed  the  inclination  of  the  will  followeth  the  clear  per¬ 
ception  of  the  underftanding.  But  this  attention  is  th~ 
gift  of  God,  as  appears  in  the  cafe  of  Lydia.  Ads  1 6: 14. 

Both  Rutherford  and  Burman  are.  full  in  afferting  the 
priority  of  regeneration  to  any  gracious  exercife,  our paf- 
f  v'ty  therein,  its  being  a  pkyfical  and  not  a  moral  opera¬ 
tion,  its  irrefiftibility,  &c. 

Dod.  Braunius  profefTor  of  divinity  at  Groningen  aftr, < 

.  confuting 


APPENDIX .  9t 

confuting  many  falfe  notions  of  divine  grace  held  by 
the  Papifts,  Remonftrants,  &c.  fuch  as  that  it  con  lifts 
In  moral  fu&fion,  in  an  external  illumination,  &c.  he 
obferves,  “  That  the  grace  of  God  ought  to  be  con¬ 
ceived  of  as  a  new  creation.” —  “That  hereby  God  dif- 
peleth  the  darknefs  of  the  mind,  cnkindkth  the  lighc  of 
truth,  fofteneth  and  bendeth  the  will  ;  yea  as  it  were 
creatcth  it  anew,  reproduceth  it,  and  raiftth  it  from  the 
dead,  and,  powerfully,  and  fweetly  determineth  it  to 
good,  fo  that  it  moft  freely  wills  and  embraces  it.” — • 
“  Therefore  the  will  of  man  is  merely  pafffae  in  the  firft 
moment  of  the  divine  operation  •,  is  paftive  in  being 
fafhioned  by  God  according  to  his  good  plcafure.” — 
“  Hence  the  apoftle  well  obferves,  that  the  will  of  man 
with  refped  to  the  grace  of  God  is  as  clay  in  the  hands 
of  the  potter,  from  whom  it  wholly  receives  it’s  form.” 
Dotftrina  Fiderum.  p.  528.  529,  53,0. 

With  refpedt  to  an  illumination  of  the  underftanding’s 
being  fufticient  for  fandification,  he  thus  obferves, 
“  Tfrey  are  wrong,  who  teach  that  fan&ification  con- 
fiftethonly  in  the  underftanding  •,  fince  it  confifteth  in 
the  underftanding  and  will  together.  The  underftand- 
pg  can  exereife  no  dominion  over  the  will ;  but  is  mere* 
.y  piftive  in  the  reception  of  objects,  as  they  offer  them* 
felves  :  But  the  will  chuleth  what  it  judgech  to  be  belt. 
The  underftanding  therefore  ought  to  be  enlightened, 
that  it  may  rightly  receive  objetft*  and  prapofe  them  to 
the  will.  TThe  will  muft  be  renewed,  that  it  may  chule 
the  greateft  good.  Nor  doth  it  follow,  from  the  will’s 
following  the  laft  practical  judgment,  that  the  under* 
ftanding  only  needs  to  be  la  notified,  and  not  the -will  5 
fince  this  laft  practical  judgment  is  the  work  of  the  will  j 
for  the  will  judgeth  ;  not  the  underftanding.” 

'Tis  plain  our  au  hor  means  by  the  undeift.^n  :i-ng  cbe  fnnple.facu-Ity 
of  perception  ;  and  when  he  excludes  judgment  from  the  uiwerdaiyd- 
ing*  he  means  the  practical  judgment,  or  th  it  which  lefpedls  our 
p.’f^tice,  and  not  things  merely  fpeculative.  In  which  rente  perhaps 
this  opinion,  which  as  firft  view  appears  fiagufir,  be  1.01 
from  the  truth. 


To 


A  P  P  E  N  D  1  X. 

To  thefe  quotations  I  will  add  a  few  words  from  Mr.  I 
Brine,  a  late  ingenious  writer  in  England.  Page  1 26, 
of  his  book,  entituled,  Atreatife  upon  various  fubjtsls. 

“  Regeneration  preceeds  and  may  be  confidcred,  as 
the  foundation  and  fpring  of  converfion  and  fandifica- 
tion.  For  that  is  the  principle  from  which  both  arife. 
Grace  as  a  principle  of  fpiritual  ads,  is  firft  communi-; 
cated,  and  from  that  proceed  all  acts  of  a  holy  fpiritual 
nature,  both  internal  and  external.  Neither  of  the  latter 
can  be,  until  the  firft  is  wrought.  And  when  that  is  I 
effefled,  boththe  latter  certainly  follow.  In  the  firft  we 
are  merely  paflive,  in  converfion  and  iandincation  we 
are  adive.” 

P.  1  or.  “Regeneration  is  the  infufion  of  a  new  prin¬ 
ciple  of  fpiritual  life.  Naturally  men  are  dead  in  tref- 
pafil's  and  fins,  and,  therefore,  in  order  to  their  ading  1 
in  a  holy  and  fpiritual  manner,  a  living  holy  principle 
muft  be  communicated  to  them.  Hence  the  faints  are 
faid  to  be  quickened, -that  is  to  fay,  they  are  infpired 
with  life.  And  this  is  a  new  life,  and  is  a  fpring  of 
new  adions.  It  is  called  a  new  heart,  and  a  new  fpirit, 
and  a  heart  of  fiefh  ;  grace  is  not  our  old  nature  made 
better,  and  excited  unto  fpiritual  ads  ;  but  it  is  a  new  ! 
nature  produced  in  our  minds,  by  the  infinite  power  ! 
and  grace  of  God.  For  which  reafon  we  are  faid  to  be 
new  creatures.  Something  now  exifts  in  us,  which  had 
no  being  in  our  minds  before.  Nothing  fbort  of  this  j 
comes  up  to  the  fcriptural  account  of  this  matter.  No 
excitations,  no  impulfes,  no  aids,  however  forcible  and 
great  they  are  fuppofed  to  be,  reach  the  intention  of  the 
holy  Spirit,  in  thofe  phrafes,  which  he  ufes  on  this  fub-  1 
jed.  BTides  our  corrupt  nature  is  not  a  fit  fubjed  for 
heavenly  excitations,  nor  is  it  pofiible  to  bring  it  in  fub- 
jedion  to  the  obedience  of  Cbrift.  The  carnal  mind 
can  never  become  fub;edto  the  law  of  Chrift.  A  bitter-^ 
fountain  will  as  foon  fend  forth  fweet  ftreams,  which 
all  know  is  impoffible.  Regeneration  doth  not  confift 


APPENDIX.  “93 

in  acts,  but  in  the  produ&ion  of  a  principle  difpofed 
|  unto  actions  holy  and  well  pleafing  unto  God,  by  Je/us 
Chrift  \  and  therefore  this  work  is  inftantaneous  and 
wrought  on  the  mind  at  once.” 

“  By  converfion  I  underftand,  what  may  be  called  the 
primary  a&ings  of  the  regenerate  principle.  Before  I 
proceed  in  difcourfing  on  which,  I  would  premife  two 
things.  One  is,  the  human  mind,  as  it  feems  to  me,  is 
one  rational  principle  of  operation.  The  fchools  have 
taught  us,  that  there  are  three  diftindl  powers  of  the 
human  foul,  viz.  The  underftanding  :  The  will  ;  and 
the  affections.  They  have  done  this  for  the  fake  of 
accuracy,  in  fpeaking  of  the  diftinft  actions  of  our  minds. 
1  much  queftion  whether  this  is  according  to  truth  in 
philolophy,  and  I  can’t  but  apprehend,  that  it  hath  not 
been  ferviceably  to  the  caufe  of  truth  in  divinity,  par¬ 
ticularly,  in  treating  on  the  fubjedl  now  under  confide- 
ra  ion. 

It  feems  to  me,  that  our  intelligent  nature  is  one  pow¬ 
er,  and  not  the  fubject  of  different  and  diftinCl  powers, 
but  capable  of  exerting  itfelf,  in  various  modes.  Irt 
perception,  willing,  nilJing,  loving,  hating,  &c.  The 
other  thing  I  would  premile  is  this  :  That  grace  is  one 
fpiritual  principle  of  operation  in  the  foul,  and  not,  pro¬ 
perly  fpeaking,  various  and  diftindl  habits  leated  in  our 
mind  ;  but  able  to  exerc  itfelf  after  diverfe  ways.  As, 
in  fpiritual  perception,  holy  chufing  and  refufing,  loving 
and  delighting  in  fpiritual  things,  in  a  fpiritual  manner, 
which  are  commonly  fpoken  of  as  ads  of  fo  many  dif¬ 
ferent  and  diftind  habits  of  Grace  in  our  minds  ;  but  I 
think,  that  they  ail  proceed  from  one  principle,  as  their 
common  root  and  fpring.  If  this  is  true,  thofe  contefts, 
which  have  arifen  and  been  litigated  between  learned 
men,  concerning  grace  as  having  one  power  of  the  mind 
only  for  its  fubjeCl,  and  concerning  the  impropriety,  of 
fuppofing,  that  the  grace  of  faith  is  feated  in  two  pow¬ 
ers  of  the  foul,  viz,  the  underftanding  and  the  will  :  I 


94  APPENDIX. 

fay,  if  this  is  true,  thofe  contefts  may  loon  be  iflued,  and 
that  it  is  not,  I  am  humbly  of  opinion,  neither  philo¬ 
sophy,  nor  religion  will  prove.” 

It  fhould  have  been  obferved  to  the  reader,  that  by 
the  reformed,  or  the  reformed  church ,  foreign  writers 
mean  all  denominationsof  Proteftaats,  except  the  Lu¬ 
therans  (with  refpeft  to  whom  they  are  called  reformed) 
and  fome  heretical  lefts  that  have  fprung  up  among 
them,  as  the  Socmans,  Arminians ,  &c. 

This  publication  would  have  been  rendered  more 
compleat  by  quotations  from  Turretine  and  the  doings 
of  the  famous  Synod  of  Dort,  had  not  the  publilher 
been  difappointed  about  procuring  thefe  books. 

N.  B.  The  Synod  of  Dort  mentioned  by  Van  Maft- 
richt,  Le  Blanc,  &c.  confided  of  delegates  from  the 
whole  Reformed  Church,  was  called  by  the  States  of 
Holland  in  the  reign  of  King  James  the  Firft,  to  confi- 
der  the  Arminian  herefy,  which  was  condemned  by  that 
Synod. 


E  R  R  A  T'  A. 

Page  28.  line  19.  for  thefe  read  thofe.  P.  44. 1.  19.  after 
confirms ,  add  than  dejtroys.  P.  53.  1.  22.  for  enabled 
read  enohled.  P.  56.  1.  6.  for  pure  read  purer.  Ibid 
Jaffc  line,  for  their  read  the.  Before  law  read  the.  P. 
S 1 .  1 .  1 2.  for  regeneration  read  generation. 


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